Regina's Sister
by SusanMcMovies
Summary: Rumple found a way to get Cora to bear his child that she promised him. He plans to use both of Cora's daughters to help find his son. But Aleera wants to be good and wants to stop Regina from being evil...but she also wants Baelfire back. Over the span of Enchanted Forest time and Storybrooke time, Aleera will attempt to have both. But can she?
1. Part 1 Ch 1

"My dear, Regina," King Leopold said to his wife, when he came into her chambers. Regina woefully turned away from her mirror to give her husband the attention he requested. She saw that he was followed by one of his guards, and a young lady. The girl couldn't have been more than 18, 5 years younger than her. She was shorter than Regina, with mahogany brown hair and matching eyes. The girl looked at her with the warmest smile Regina had seen in a while.

"Who is this?" Regina asked.

"This is Jane," replied Leopold. "A newly appointed lady in waiting."

"Milady," Jane replied, bowing to her new mistress. She continued to give Regina the most dedicated eye contact. She was very respectful. Regina wished like with all her other ladies that she'd been able to choose them herself. She still hadn't achieved her mother's advice of having her own guard. But there was something about this young girl that boggled her. She felt as if she knew her.

"We will leave you two to get to know each other," said Leopold, stepping toward Regina to kiss her check. She abhorred the affection, but hid the emotion from her husband. She did not love him. She was sure she never would. The King and his guard left, and the ladies were alone. Regina didn't know what to say, she often avoided contact with people and had forgotten how to be sweet. Her training with Rumplestiltskin was starting to corrupt her. She'd had her first kill the month before, a young gypsy girl. Her one and only chance to revive Daniel had failed. She was not the woman she was anymore.

Jane broke the silence.

"I have no official occupation in your court," said she. "You can use me however you see fit. Whatever you require I shall provide."

"Thank you," Regina replied. "That's very sweet of you." Jane bowed again in response.

"Don't do that," Regina ordered. Although following the Queen's orders was exactly what Jane had just agreed to, she stumbled on this request.

"I'm sorry?" Jane asked.

"Nevermind," Regina brushed it off and looked away.

"If my mistress would rather I didn't, I could…" Jane tried to recover the conversation.

"Do whatever is proper when in the presence of your Queen," Regina silenced her. She wasn't entirely used to being a Queen yet, but she knew she had to try. If she was ever to succeed in achieving her happiness, she had many steps to take. She had learned this from Rumplestiltskin. She knew he was planning something, and had been for a while. She had no idea what though.

"Yes, your majesty," Jane dutifully acknowledged. She looked out onto the balcony and noticed the sun was setting. "I'll turn in if you have no further need of me."

"Sounds fine," Regina replied. She didn't turn back to look at Jane. Because she didn't Jane did not bow again and left the room. Before the Queen was out of her sight, she gave her one final glance. The Queen was still staring in her mirror, but could not see Jane as she could see her. Jane swiftly turned away and hurried to her room; which was in the Queen's apartment of the castle. She only closed her door and took a few steps into her room before disappearing in pewter colored smoke.

When she reappeared she was in the woods on the edge of a farm with a small cabin. She walked around to the back of the cabin where the sound of wood being chopped was coming from. She opened a creaky gate door that alerted the wood cutter to company. He saw her, placed down his axe and ran into her arms and kissed her. When he pulled his lips from her he gazed into her eyes.

"Aleera…" he cooed, calling her by her real name, for it was not really Jane. "Did you do it?"

"Yes, Alastair" Aleera replied. "I met my sister, at last."

18 Years Before….

"When's my baby sister coming, Mama?" 5 year-old Regina asked her mother while Henry was getting the carriage ready for he and Regina to go buy her first pony. Henry had suggested it as a way to assure Regina that she was just as special in her parents' eyes as she was before the arrival of their second child.

"Very soon, dear," Cora replied, caressing her daughter's cheek.

"You never know, it could be a brother," Henry said as he prepared the back of the carriage to be able to pull the new horse along so they could get back with it.

"I have a feeling it's a girl," Cora argued, not that that was a necessary response. Henry was fun to toy with. She snapped out of it and looked back down and smiled at Regina. "I knew you were one too." She never told anyone that it was Rumplestiltskin's foresight that told her, and that Regina was originally destined to be payment for Cora's deal with him. Regina smiled up at her. There were times when she loved being with her mother. But often she preferred her father. When the carriage was ready Henry opened the door and ushered Regina inside.

"Is there any particular reason why one of our servants wasn't doing this?" Cora asked him passive aggressively. Ever since her Father-in-law had received a male heir to his throne by his first son's second wife who was from a wealthy kingdom, he hadn't needed Cora as much and had sent them to live on their own. Even with plenty of servants to do their bidding, Henry the oaf had grown accustomed to doing tasks for himself, much to his wife's chagrin.

"It's no trouble," Henry explained without turning from his task. But as if a change in the wind had occurred he trembled when he could feel his wife glaring at the back of him. He turned to her and stammered, "I-I wasn't thinking."

"Clearly," Cora responded curtly. Regina was tense in the carriage. Her mother had been so nice just before. Why did she get like this?

"We'll be back soon," Henry told his wife. She beckoned him to kiss her cheek goodbye even though she felt nothing from it. She had to keep him enthralled with her so he'd be in her control. He did so tentatively, and slowly backed away and crawled in the carriage with his daughter. Cora wasn't one to linger so she turned to head back to the manor barely before they'd taken off. She was already 2 centimeters dilated and should not have been on her feet. They had made a home in a grand house with stables in the outreaches of the kingdom. It teetered with the Northern Kingdom's territory, Princess Eva's. For what Cora had planned she thought that would be beneficial.

Cora entered the house and slowly made her way to the stairs. Right when she'd picked up her right foot to climb the first step she felt the baby coming. She lost her footing and crumpled onto the stairs. A passing manservant heard her stumble and gasp and came to her aid. He called to the kitchen and two handmaids peered out and saw what was going on. One went to fetch the midwife who had been living in the servant quarters waiting to be needed and the other went to assist the manservant.

The baby didn't need much time, she was born two hours later. Cora knew her husband and eldest daughter would be back soon. She hadn't bothered to send word to them. If Henry was sad he'd missed the birth he would have no one to blame but himself. Cora held her newborn daughter, Aleera was the name she'd picked for her after the flower that she used to wear in her hair when she was a young maiden. She never intended to have more than one child. She'd named her first daughter Regina to make a statement about how her daughter would be Queen one day despite her disadvantages caused by her father being 5th in line. This pregnancy had been from one night when Cora had a whim to let Henry romance her when she worried that he sensed she did not love him.

"You could be a Queen one day too, Aleera," she said to the newborn. "There are plenty of other kingdoms."

"I knew I'd get a girl this time," a voice said from the foot of the bed. What the voice said is something Henry would say, but it wasn't Henry's voice. Cora looked up and saw her former lover and teacher, Rumplestiltskin.

"Excuse me," Cora asked, pulling the baby closer to her chest. "What does that mean?"

"A deal is a deal, dearie," he cackled. "For power and revenge you owed me my child, and there she is. Aleera….about as awkward sounding as Cora but it will do."

"This is my husband's child," Cora stated. "I haven't been with you in five years."

"In the most literal way yes," Rumple said, flourishing his hands. "But, I have my ways."

"Pray tell," Cora said, faking skepticism but secretly realizing that Rumple probably did find an alternate way, a technicality.

"A little trick I learned from mighty Zeus," explained Rumple. "I figured the heat like a ray of sunshine in a dark room in winter would have felt a bit bizarre. But I guess you mistook it for Prince Henry's out of shape hot breathing."

"You forced me to conceive!" Cora growled, "That's despicable."

"Says the woman with a vault full of hearts," Rumple countered.

"You can't take her," Cora said with confidence. "You cheated. I have to willingly give her to you for our deal of me gifting you a child to apply."

"Oh but you will!" Rumple assured her. And with his left hand he pulled out of the pocket of his cloak, a heart. No way could that be her heart, she never told him where she kept it. Rumple walked to the side of the bed she was lying on and spoke to her heart. "Give me my daughter." Cora felt like she was on puppet strings when she stretched out her arms and lifted the child up to him. As his right hand and his knuckles on his left hand made contact with Aleera he dropped the heart. And in that moment scooped his daughter up into his arms properly. When the heart plopped on the mattress Cora spasmed.

"You can put that back where I found it." He told her and began to walk away.

"You already had plans for Regina," Cora said to the back of him. "What could you possibly have planned for this one?"

"I'm taking what I was promised," He said not taking his eyes off his daughter. "No one breaks deals with me." And then he smoked out.

"No!" Cora shouted and she weakly sent a fireball at the place where he stood. It merely singed the border of a tapestry on the wall. Cora heard one of the maids calling out to her to ask what was wrong. Cora heard her coming to the door and had to make a quick decision about what to do with her heart. She was too weak to be accurate in magically sending it back to it's hiding spot in her vault. And she didn't want to risk losing track of it if she hid it somewhere in the room. So she shoved it back in her chest.

"Milady," the maid called when she opened the door. "What is the matter?" The full force of emotions Cora had been missing without her heart flooded in now that it was put back. Cora burst into tears and was in anguish.

Henry and Regina arrived in the foyer 30 minutes later. Regina was bobbing up and down, gabbing to no one in particular about her new horse Rocinante, which she could hardly pronounce but it was the name he came with. Henry was floating on air until he detected that something was not right. Their maids where huddled near the staircase and the manservant was looking very grave.

"What is it?" Henry asked the man. Regina was still giddy but she was quiet because the adults were talking.

"Your wife gave birth while you were gone," the man said seriously.

"My sister is here!" Regina perked, even more excited. She went to run up the stairs but her father pulled her back. He tensed himself and asked if everything was okay.

"The babe didn't live long past birth."

Henry became grave as well and beckoned one of the maids forward to take charge of Regina, and he went to go see his wife. The maid took it upon herself to explain everything to the girl.

"Your little sister wasn't meant for this world," she said. Regina had faltered greatly from her previous glee, but she wasn't quite able to comprehend what was happening. Henry entered the bedroom he shared with Cora and saw her looking melancholy and defeated.

"Where is the infant's body?" he asked her, not quite able to keep his eyes from the floor. He had never had to comfort his wife. She was always resilient.

"Already gone." She told him. And she said nothing more, so he let her be. Later that night she found a new hiding spot for her heart, and put a spell on it to make sure if anyone found the hiding spot she'd sense their presence.

**To keep track of the each chunk of time the focal point of Part 1 of my story will be the day Regina and Aleera met, which is a month after Regina's first kill. Part 1 is the Enchanted Forest, Part 2 will be Storybrooke. I hope you like my story and continue reading. I can't specify how quickly chapters will be posted, it will vary. **


	2. Part 1 Ch 2

After spending some time with Alastair, Aleera materialized back to her quarters to continue playing her role. She had a very special mission: To undo what her father was doing to Regina, before it became too late. Rumple's corruption plans had recently started planting seeds in Regina. Aleera planned to dig them out before they sprouted. Or before they bloomed at least. She knew her sister was hurting. She'd had her true love stolen from her and she was in a loveless marriage. Aleera knew what her father's plan was. She knew the prophecy that made her sister the one who had to cast the Dark Curse. This curse would take them to the land where Aleera's brother Baelfire was. While Aleera wanted her brother back more than anything, she wanted there to be another way.

The next morning Aleera waited for her sister to be ready for her assistance. She had been apprised to Regina's schedule by the head of the castle and knew Regina slept in late. She knew Regina was tense with trying to keep up appearances. She knew Regina was losing her grasp on good and like Rumplestiltskin and their mother Cora, she had a plan up her sleeve that required much time, calculation, and strategy. Aleera also had these scheming traits that seemed to run in her family on both sides. But she wasn't so patient with her timeline. She needed to change Regina back quickly.

Aleera was standing outside the Queen's bedroom door with a tray of food. She heard Regina stir and she knocked to announce herself. She opened the door and peered inside. Regina was sitting up trying to get her bearings. She looked up to see her new lady in waiting and took a moment to recognize her.

"Enter," she said when she remembered her. Aleera came in and stood at attention. She knew she had to be compliant, assess her sister's needs before she asked for them, and not make Regina have to try too hard to be comfortable with her.

"Breakfast, your majesty," Aleera offered. Regina beckoned her forward and Aleera brought the tray to her. She gently placed the tray on Regina's lap and stepped back. "Would you like me to run you a bath?"

"That will be fine," Regina said without looking up from her food. But she then corrected herself and tried to be more pleasant. "That would be lovely." Aleera beamed at her. Regina felt that warmth she'd felt the night before when they met. This girl made Regina feel at ease. She acted like she really cared for her mistress. She hadn't felt so welcome by anyone else in the castle. The nice moment was ruined when her doors burst open and her stepdaughter bolted in.

"Regina!" 12 year-old Snow White called out. Aleera saw Regina's pleasant face falter. Aleera knew that Regina secretly hated this girl and blamed her for her true love's death. But Aleera did not agree. It was Cora who should be blamed. One of the things she'd have to do to change Regina's course was to get her past her issue with Snow. Snow plopped down on the bed and smiled at her stepmother. Regina looked like she'd lost her appetite. Aleera had to remedy this quickly.

"Father says he can spare you to give me a horseback riding lesson today," Snow said gleefully to her stepmother

"Did he now?" Regina said gruffly. Snow felt the terseness but shook it off. The girl could tell Regina wasn't welcoming. But clearly she wanted Regina to like her. "Promise we will?" she asked hopefully. Regina looked like she wanted an out, so Aleera gave her one.

"Her majesty wants to join your father in court today especially," Aleera said to the girl. Snow finally acknowledged the stranger.

"Who are you?" Snow asked.

"Newly appointed lady in waiting," Regina quoted Leopold. "And yes I am preoccupied, we will have to go another time."

"Alright then…" Snow gave in. She looked at a loss as of what to do next. Then Johanna came in and ushered Snow to her to take her to her school lessons. Aleera tried to get her bonding with her sister back on track.

"Shall I prepare the bath?"

"Yes," Regina said, sliding her legs off the bed and standing up. "I need to get ready for court."

"I hope it's alright that I told her that," Aleera said.

"It will do," Regina told her. "I actually know of something I'd like to discuss with my husband."

"What is that?" Aleera asked.

"I think it's time I set up my own personal guard," Regina smirked. Aleera's face drained of color. Although she knew Regina was teetering on the edge of good and evil, she hadn't seen her sister so villainous. She knew that was part of Regina's drawn out plan to take over this kingdom to hurt Leopold and Snow. Regina saw the change in Aleera's expression and found it suspicious. "Is there a problem?"

"No," Aleera said more high pitched than she planned, but then she recovered. "I'll help you select them."

"That would be helpful," Regina responded. "That can be your main job, helping me with my many plans I have for this place. And running interference with my needy step-daughter as well." Regina looked quite smug. Whatever she was planning must be becoming more feasible. But she was trusting Aleera, so Aleera would just have to work with what she had. If Regina trusted her to advise her, Aleera would hopefully be able to turn her sister in the right direction.

"What about Fotingjay?" Aleera asked Regina. They were sitting under her apple tree discussing the recruits for Regina's guard. Regina wrinkled her nose at his name.

"He rubs me the wrong way," she told Aleera.

"Really?" Aleera asked surprised. "But he was so respectful and kind. He offered whole heartedly to lay down his life for you."

"I wasn't all that reassured," Regina said as she peeled an apple.

"How about Lawrence?" Aleera asked.

"He seemed squeamish," Regina replied.

"Is that a bad trait?"

"For my guard, absolutely," Regina told her. She looked up from her carved apple and said to her new assistant, "I respect the reasons you would choose them, but I think you and I have a very different idea of what my guard should be."

"And what is your idea?" Aleera asked.

"I need people adept at murder, bereft of mercy," Regina answered coolly.

"Goodness," Aleera reacted. Her plans seemed to be getting a lot harder to execute. If she pushed Regina any more to select good people to be her guard Regina would become angry. And that was not the way to get her to like her.

"You are meant to serve only me, Jane," Regina glared at her. "I hope I can trust you."

"Of course," Aleera assured her. "So," she adjusted, "You were more interested in Rivers and Berkely."

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Regina pointed at her with her knife and grinned.

"Even though Rivers' references claimed him to be a drunk," Aleera muttered. Regina still heard her and blew it off.

"I'm not worried about that. His other skills will make up for it."

Aleera was failing miserably. She hadn't had a perfect plan like she'd thought. There was so much she hadn't thought through. Perhaps she didn't quite have the scheming trait that her parents both had. Makes sense since she had no patience to draw it out. Befriending Regina and making being good look appealing wasn't enough. It would take something stronger than that. But Aleera didn't want to give up on befriending her sister. She wanted to experience love of family, of her blood family. She'd had received little acceptance from them in her life.

15 years ago.

Rumplestiltskin was working at his wheel as usual. The last few years he'd had to make changes. His daughter had needs and she often got in the way of his work. He had tried to keep nannies but he'd either scared them off or killed them. Aleera was a gifted child. Unlike her mother who had come to magic later in life, Aleera had been using it since she was a toddler. And mostly she had taught herself. That pleased Rumple, she would be quite useful in his mission. She didn't understand her destiny yet, but she knew at least that she had a big brother named Bae who wasn't there, and she wanted a big brother so badly.

While working at his wheel he detected something in his side vision. A small puff of pewter smoke. He turned and saw his three year old daughter had materialized right beside him. She was supposed to be in her room playing with her dolls. She had been making them move on their own accord last he checked. But he knew that if she came to his side with such haste, it was because she had a new trick to show him. So he gave up on his spinning and gave her his utmost attention. She gave him the strictest eye contact and he equaled her stare. She furrowed her eyebrows and then opened her eyes to their widest. And when she did that, her eye color changed. She had her father's cursed eyes. In reality she had her mother's eyes. Rumple smirked. His daughter at the mere age of three was already learning how to change her appearance.

"Yes, very nice," he told her, patting her head. He then abruptly turned back to his spinning. Aleera's face fell. Her daddy was very odd. He only gave her attention when she needed him, not when she wanted him. He'd focus on her when she needed to be fed, dressed, bathed, and put to bed. She often pretended she couldn't sleep so he would use his magic on her. He could guarantee her the dream that night that she wanted. She hoped to master that power one day. Then she'd always dream about her brother. But when she wanted appreciation he gave it to her technically, but not at the level she wanted. She wanted him to scoop her up into his arms and spin her around. She wanted him to spend real time with her. But Rumple was afraid if she was around him more that she'd see him for what he was and fear him.

Rumple then heard someone at the front door of his castle. He left to see who it was. Aleera was all alone in the grand hall, with all of her father's collection. She went up to the golden fleece. She wanted to touch it to see how soft it was. But her father had always told her to stay away from his things. She was reaching for it when she sensed someone had come into the room magically. She figured it was her father, he knew what she was doing. She slowly turned to face him with a mischievous grin on her face. But the smile was gone when she realized that it was not her father. It was some woman with a black cloak, and hair and eyes the same color as Aleera's. She looked just like how her daddy described her momma.

"My sweet baby," said Cora. Aleera smiled up at this woman and got excited.

"Momma!" she said and ran to her and hugged her mother's knees. Cora rested her hand on her daughter's head and then reached down to pick her up.

"Get your hands off of her!" Rumple bellowed from the entryway to the grand hall. Cora and Aleera turned to look at him at the same time. Aleera saw her momma's sweet expression turn into a smirk. "You have no right to her! You gave her to me," he reminded her.

Cora produced a fireball in her hand and Aleera's eyes widened in fear. Cora threw it at Rumple and he met it with a fireball of his own that caused the dining table to burst into flames. Aleera saw her father beyond the burning table and reached for him but then was carried further away from the flame by Cora.

"You did cheat your side of the deal," Cora said. "So she's mine." She whipped around to smoke away mid-walk but Aleera started to fight her.

"No, No, No!" Aleera said in her limited language. She hit and kicked and Cora struggled with her. Cora shook her very hard and it was very unpleasant for Aleera. When her head snapped back into it's upright position she was very angry. She exuded burning heat from her hands and burned away her mother's sleeves until she met skin. For added measure she changed her eyes back to her father's to show she meant business. Cora dropped her to protect herself.

"You vile creature!" Cora scolded the little girl. That angered Aleera more. So with one final kick to her mother's shin she dematerialized her mother away to wherever she sensed this woman came from. Rumple ran over to her and looked her over to make sure she was alright. Aleera started to cry and her emotions caused thunder outside. Rumple picked her up and carried her to her room to nap.

Keeping her with him would no longer be safe. Cora would constantly be targeting them. She wasn't going to give up on getting her daughter back because the girl had upset her. She still wanted Aleera so she could have one more kingdom in her control. But now Rumple worried, she would also want Aleera for her power. As young as Aleera was she could easily forget this altercation and still be weak to her mother's charms one day if Cora ever came back for her.

It was time for him to use his plan B. His plan A had been to raise her in magic and train her all her life to be able to help him find Bae. But Cora would never leave them alone. His plan B was to give his daughter to a random unknown family as a ward, and come back for her when she was older. He knew who he'd give her to. There was a couple he had helped bring together when they asked him to break the ties that kept them apart. The girl had been a fairy and the man had been a mage. He helped turned them mortal and got them off the other fairies and mages' view. He'd been fine with his world having one less fairy. But his price to them had yet to be set. He knew they longed for a child. They would take Aleera.

Rumple packed Aleera up and took her by carriage to the home of the former fairy and her mage husband. They weren't surprised he finally came for his payment, but the request was certainly shocking to them.

"You have a child?" Roderick asked stunned. "And you want us to raise her?"

"Why?" Dora asked. She had been around most of Rumple's time as the Dark One because she'd been a fairy for a long time. She knew he had a son that he'd lost, but she wasn't sure why he'd let himself have another child.

"She isn't safe with me," Rumple told them. "She needs a protective home. Seclusion. I want you to change her name and raise her as your own."

"So you're just abandoning her?" Roderick asked insulted.

"I'll come back for her one day," Rumple explained. "When it is time for her to fulfill her destiny. Around her 14th year." He didn't intend to stake the age at the same one Baelfire had been when he was lost, but Rumple's foresight told him that would be the best time.

"What if we have children of our own?" Dora asked. "We've been trying ever since we got married. It is really important to us. Is your price also that we have to dedicate all our love to just your child?"

"You are already with child," Rumple told her. "You are two months along, it will be another girl. They will do well to grow up together." Roderick and Dora were ecstatic. That joy made them feel more secure with this task of raising a ward. They finally gave proper attention to the toddler sitting on the tree stump where Roderick cut wood. She was playing with the wind, and then she uprooted the mushrooms nearby and made them circle the stump.

"She's magical?" Roderick marveled.

"But of course," Rumple flourished. He then finally looked at Aleera. He wouldn't see her for 11 years. At least, he wouldn't formally see her. He'd always be checking up on her. She was preoccupied with her amusement and he hadn't explained to her what was going on. How could she understand? Dora kneeled down at Aleera's level and tickled her chin and placed a flower that she shared a name with in her hair. After the wicked woman that Aleera had encountered today, she liked this woman. Roderick kneeled down too and told her how pretty she was. Rumple used that opportunity to leave. He'd let them explain, he was too sad.

"Daddy!" he heard his daughter call out, but he didn't turn. He heard a scuffle as Roderick or Dora tried to pull Aleera back but Aleera slipped out of whoever's grasp. "Daddy!" she yelled again. But Rumple smoked out at that moment. The carriage dematerialized as well.

Soon he was back in his grand hall, all alone. The dining table was in ashes on the burnt floor. But Rumple didn't have the care to fix it yet. He tried to go work at his wheel, but he was too distraught. He violently overturned it and started kicking it to pieces. He stopped when he exhausted himself and he stared down at the mess. That was one more thing he'd have to fix. Actually there was one more thing to fix after that: His Heart. If he were to utilize his daughter the way he'd foreseen he'd have to, he couldn't feel so strongly for her, because then he'd have misgivings about what he'd have to put her through. He figured being raised by those peasants would sway her love to them. But she'd still help him in the end. He'd make her.

**I'm just going to apologize for all typos you will probably find. I try to catch them as quickly as possible, but this site updates things slowly as you have probably experienced. I certainly have. **


	3. Part 1 Ch 3

Roderick and Dora explained the best way they could to Aleera what was happening. There was an evil woman after her and her father could no longer protect her. But he would come back for her one day. They told her that she'd have to have a new name and they rattled some off to her and hoped one would appeal.

"Endora?" Roderick suggested.

"She'll get confused when you call my name," Dora argued.

"Right, of course," Roderick realized. "How about Rose?" That made Aleera pick at the flower that was still in her hair. Being named after another flower made her sad. Her adopted parents realized this and Dora hugged her tightly to her side.

"Let's stay away from that category then,"

"Sequoia?" Dora suggested. But then she realized she'd gotten the idea from looking out the window at a tree on their land. Maybe they should try harder than that. Aleera did not like any of the suggestions.

"If we pick a very unique name she will be easier to find," Roderick stated. He then looked down at the little girl and thought he'd involve her more. "What do you think is pretty?" Aleera pondered that and twiddled with the hem of her dress. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought hard. After a moment she relaxed and made her decision.

"Jane." She told them.

"Jane," Dora repeated, nodding her head in approval.

"I like it," Roderick agreed with them. And so from that day forth she was Jane.

Being young she did not take as long to adjust to her new life. She was always a fast learner. Since her father's name was hard to say, she started calling him Pa quickly. She took a little longer to call Dora, Momma. She didn't do it to hurt Dora, but it was because she could say Dora's name. But after a month she had accepted both as her mother and father.

7 months after she'd come to them their biological daughter arrived. She was named Liza. Dora and Roderick assured Jane that she was equally their daughter in their eyes, and Liza was her sister. They knew that when Jane turned 14 her biological father would come back for her, and the more they loved her the more that scared them. Who knew what Rumplestiltskin wanted of her? So they wanted to prepare her for it. But since her magic was similar to Cora's, if she used it Cora could find her. So they taught her other skills like horticulture and cooking skills to use with her magic. And they made sure she would not be without the ability to defend herself. So they allied themselves with a military family across the small woods they inhabited. Horatio was a soldier in King Leopold's guard. He was training his son Alastair to fight so he could become a soldier one day. He took on Jane as a second pupil. She was nine years old when these lessons started.

Horatio taught them defensive moves before having them fight someone. Alastair was three years older than Jane but at the time he was not much bigger than her. So they could fight each other. When the day came that they had mastered taking down the stuffed artificial obstacles he had them try their first fight. For their first fight he had Alastair play the aggressor and Jane play the victim.

"Go ahead son," Horatio said to the boy. "Take her." Alastair cracked his knuckles and bounced planning his first move. Jane just stood their very tense, but a reassuring look from Horatio made her relax. As suddenly and unpredictable as he was skilled Alastair lunged at her. He reached for her throat. Not to choke her but to get to her sensitive spot on her collarbone to weaken her so he could knock her to the ground. But then fast as a whip Jane turned at her waist and hiked up her right leg and kicked him in the sternum. He flew backward.

Horatio laughed and patted Jane's shoulder. He knew that would happen. Alastair was too cocky, he thought being a man would guarantee he'd win. He was good at fighting, but was not very stealthy. Jane stood victoriously and watched Alastair try to recover himself.

"That wasn't fair!" Alastair gasped.

"Oh, please," Jane rolled her eyes at his wounded pride. She looked at Horatio for support.

"She bested you, son," Horatio told him brushing dirt off his son's back. "Be honorable and accept it.

"She cheated," Alastair grumbled.

"She was calculating and subtle," Horatio explained to Alastair. "She could see you coming from a mile away. When play fighting like this it is hard for the aggressor to be sneaky. But you could have tried a lot harder."

"Fine," Alastair conceded. He shook his head clear of all tenseness and then bowed to Jane. "I could think of no one more worthy to best me"

"I'm honored," Jane replied and bowed herself. When her eyes were focused on the ground Alastair got the upper hand and by wrapping his arms around her waist and flipping her over his crooked arm. She slammed into the ground on her back. This time Alastair got the pat on the shoulder. Alastair was proud but wasn't going to drop all honor so he helped her off and made sure she was all right.

"Go off and practice together," Horatio told them. "Aim to disarm not maim," he reminded them. They ran off together around the other side of the house. Over the next few years they always practiced together and Horatio monitored them every now and then and taught them ways to improve. When she was fourteen and he was seventeen Alastair had grown to be bigger than her and they were becoming less and less well matched. But over the years their bond became one of love. But that was soon going to become difficult to maintain, for Rumplestiltskin would now be coming for her. But the last few years Aleera had forgotten about it until the night when she and Alastair proclaimed their love for one another.

"I love you, Jane," Alastair said to her after they had their first kiss. Aleera had been anticipating both the kiss and those three words since she was 12. But hearing him saying it with her alias wasn't the same. She frowned before she could say it back to him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"This is going to be hard to explain," she told him. "But my name isn't Jane."

"But of course it is," he assured her. "I've known you for years and I've never heard you called by any truer name.

"Then we fooled you didn't we," she half-heartedly chuckled. "It's Aleera."

"That's beautiful," he told her. He stroked her face and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "But why did you settle for mere Jane?" And then she told him of her past and her destiny. He realized that it had been strange that no mention of her existence in Dora and Roderick's lives had existed until Jane, or Aleera as she really was, was three.

"I hope I haven't terrified you," Aleera regretfully said. She stepped back and turned away from him. "I'll understand if you want nothing to do with me." Alastair in turn pulled her close to him again and made her face him.

"Nothing more horrific than you not loving me back could want me to be rid of you." Aleera smiled at that. So she kissed him and hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear,

"I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Exactly what I wanted to hear," he said into her neck. He then loosened his grip on her and went down to his knees. "Marry me, Aleera." Then he added, "Someday." Neither of them was ready for marriage yet.

"I will," she promised through a laugh at his forward gesture.

"Excellent," he stood up and twirled her around in his arms. They then went to his father to talk to him about negotiating with her parents to have no other suitor brought in. Horatio then came with them to the house of Roderick and Dora. When they got across the woods Horatio and Alastair waited outside for Aleera to give them the news in private and then she would bring them in.

Aleera bolted into the house and saw her parents sitting at the table looking serious. Her mother had tears in her eyes. Aleera looked toward the room she shared with Liza and it was open just a crack and she could see her sister peering out. Her parents were sad and Liza looked scared. Was she hiding in there?

"What's going on?" Aleera asked, faltering when she saw they were sad to see her. She finally heard the door close behind her and she turned, thinking she'd see Horatio and Alastair. But it was not. It was a ghastly looking man. It took her a moment to recognize him. Rumplestiltskin. Her hope was gone from that moment.

"It's time?" she asked the stranger to her. She knew he'd checked up on her over the years, but she hadn't seen him. When she asked her parents why, they said he didn't want to see her. And they said they weren't sure if seeing him before this day would be easier for her or harder. Rumple nodded to answer her.

"Leave that boy behind," he said. "You have more important things to do." He then reached out to her and expected her to take his hand. She looked at her family one last time, and saw tears running down her mother's face, all of them were speechless. Aleera then stepped forward and took the Dark One's hand, thinking she'd walk out the door with him and be able to explain to Alastair what was going on. But then smoke surrounded her and her birth father. And then they were gone. She didn't get to say goodbye to anyone.

Just as the smoke was disappearing Alastair and his father knocked and let themselves in. They looked around and saw Aleera nowhere.

"Where'd she go?" Alastair asked. "Did she give you the news?"

"What news?" Roderick asked.

"That…that we are engaged." Alastair told him, sensing the pall in the room. Dora then finally let out a cry and started sobbing. Roderick went to comfort his wife. Liza came out of her hiding place with her mouth gaping open at the news. She wanted Alastair to marry her! She'd be Aleera's age in a few years. Roderick and Dora weren't calm enough to say anything about Aleera's sudden disappearance, so Liza spoke up.

"She's gone with her real father," she told him. And for her own pain she snarled, "She will never marry you!" Roderick then ripped himself from his wife to scold his daughter. At the news Alastair fell to his knees and lost control of his emotions. Horatio kneeled down to get his son to stand.

"Neither of us will stand for this, son," he told him. "We will get her back."

Rumple and Aleera arrived in the grand hall of his castle before her tear she had shed at her parents' home had slipped all the way down her cheek. That tear that had traveled far hit the wooden floor and then Rumple immediately dragged her from the room to her old bedroom.

"Get some sleep dearie," he told her. "Our work starts tomorrow."

"Just like that?" Aleera asked. "I had barely a minute to adjust! I didn't say goodbye to anyone!"

"I did you a favor," Rumple growled, shaking a finger at her. He was not interested in dealing with her hormones. "If you had too much time to think about it you wouldn't want to leave."

"Am I to believe that's why you didn't say goodbye to me back then?" she asked with scorn. "I remember everything," she spat at him. Rumple harrumphed and left to leave the room.

"What makes you think my birth mother won't be looking out for my magic being used now?" Aleera asked him. He stopped at the door. "I haven't used it since the day you gave me up and so she never found me. What will you do if she comes? Can you protect me now?"

"I've got that taken care of," he sneered. "I got her to give up on you a few years ago. All her focus now is on her eldest daughter."

Aleera perked at that. She had a biological sister? Before she could ask Rumplestiltskin more he left the room. She took another moment to process everything and then she looked around. She remembered this room. Ever since she'd stopped having magic used on her to sleep she'd had insomnia. She probably wasn't going to sleep much that night.

Aleera looked around and saw that not much had changed in that room. She paced around it and investigated the windowsills. They had her drawings with charcoal still. She then remembered that her father hadn't packed all her dolls when he'd taken her to Dora and Roderick. She looked under the bed and then in the wardrobe and that's where she found them. They were stained from age and dusty, but they hadn't been moved from there. Aleera chose to leave them in there and slammed the door to the cupboard closed.

She sat down on the bed and tried to contain her emotions. What work was she supposed to be doing with the Dark One? She knew it was prophesized. He'd sired her because a vision told him his daughter would be some piece to the puzzle that would find her brother. Her brother. She hadn't thought about Baelfire in a long time. She hadn't dreamed about him in so long she barely remembered what he looked like. And now she found out she also had a sister. A sister that she shared a mother with: Cora. What was that woman's issue? If memory served she was not a nice person. By Gods name, Aleera had been sent into seclusion because this woman had something out for her. How did her father get involved with that woman?

Aleera lay down on the bed and a memory came back to her that this bed was lumpy. Great. And here she thought a castle would have better furnishings than her parent's hovel. She wished she could go back to her family and Alastair. Just to have a proper goodbye at least. They were probably better off not being around her. She knew her father's reputation. But she had to see them.

But how would she get to them? She had no idea where she was even. Until she had been sent away she had never left this castle and the grounds. She certainly had no sense of the land around it. Rumple didn't seem keen on her going back for any length of time. It seemed all hope was lost and Aleera started to cry. And when she did, it started to rain. Then she felt a fool when she realized what she'd forgot. She had her own magic! She used to materialize and dematerialize for fun when she lived here. Granted she hadn't done it in 11 years, but if the toddler her could figure it out why couldn't she?

She tested it first. She dematerialized from her bed to the rocking chair in the corner. She got to the general vicinity, but missed the chair by centimeters and just bashed her rear into the arm of the chair and crashed into the wall. She tried to get herself out of that corner and back to the bed by dematerializing. She landed on top of the canopy. It ripped and she fell onto the bed.

"Oomph!" she grunted. Rumple was not going to be happy. But she had to do this. She didn't care what he did to her if he caught her. The Dark One needed her. She knew she had that leverage. So she focused all her energy into her goal. She imagined the place she wanted to get to. She had been too cautious before. The universe was laughing at her tentative attempts to magically transport herself. She had to take a risk to inspire her magic. So she focused on the courtyard of the castle and when she felt the smoke surround her she relaxed.

She soon felt a breeze she hadn't before. She opened her eyes and found herself next to a wall of roses and vines. She had it figured out. She had to get to all of them quickly. She wasn't sure if Alastair was still with her parents or if he had gone home. So she decided not to focus on a location, but to focus on them. She did so and felt like she was been tugged in two different directions. She deduced that Alastair had left her parents' cabin. The directions she was being pulled were her desire to see her parents and her desire to see him. She didn't know how long she could be away. She had to make a choice

She chose Alastair. Her parents had more time to prepare for this, he had just learned. They knew she was going to be safe, but he didn't. She had to assure him she'd come back one day. She dematerialized and landed in the pasture outside of Alastair's home.

"Alastair!" she called out, running toward his house. She called out to him again and a light appeared in the loft window. She waited outside very stressed. Rumplestiltskin surely knew she'd left. Alastair bolted out of the house in a sweat still in his sleepwear of mere undergarments.

"Aleera," he gasped. "How? Did he let you go?"

"No," she told him. "I just needed to say a proper goodnight."

"I thought it was goodbye," he said, holding her close to him.

"I won't let it be," she told him returning the embrace.

"I will," a cackling voice said behind her. Alastair and Aleera sprung apart when they saw Rumple.

"I was coming right back," Aleera told him. "I know I have a responsibility to fulfill. But you can't tell me I have to make a choice. I can have both."

"Not on my time you can't!" he growled. He then plunged his hand into her chest. It was excruciating for her. Alastair ran to save her but Rumple forced him back with his other hand and incapacitated Alastair with magic that made him choke. Rumple then pulled his hand out with her heart. Aleera stared in horror. Rumple released Alastair from his magical grip and exhibited the power he now had on his daughter.

"Home, now!" he bellowed. Aleera felt herself tugged from her chest and like some invisible chains were pulling her she followed him.

"What have you done to me," she gasped.

"I've made you help me," he told her. "I had a feeling I'd have to." He waved his other hand and the two of them dematerialized and were standing in the dungeons. "You'll sleep here tonight so you know what you will look forward to if you ever disobey me again." He then squeezed her heart slightly to show her what else he could do with it. When he released her she fell to her knees and sobbed.

"I told you I was going to come back!" Aleera cried. "I want Bae back as badly as you do! Whatever I have to do I'll do! Just don't do this! I'm your daughter, don't you even care?" She continued to sob. She was at her wits end. She could feel her ability to feel seeping out. She was not herself. She knew it had to do with what he'd done to her.

"You better," Rumple said. Then he shoved her heart back in through her back. She gasped as it was returned and she felt sick. She vomited and coughed.

"Wh-what?" she stammered in shock. "But…why?"

"Because I care," Rumple told her with a flourish, but then he turned serious again. "If you disobey me again, I'll take it back." He then stormed out and locked the door behind him.

Aleera dragged herself up onto the cot in the dungeon. She sat up on it and tried to get her bearings. She couldn't believe how cruel he had been. She knew his reputation, but she was his kin. Had he treated Bae like this? Surely not. The memories he'd given her in her dreams were happy. But he'd been human then. She wanted him to be that way again. Although she despised him at the moment, she remembered loving him. She wanted that again. She didn't want her father to force her to help him. She wanted them to be partners.

She was locked in for the night. She would have to recover in the hours left before morning and be ready to be compliant with her father and learn what she needed. She thought about what she would be doing and it made her fall asleep. When she was asleep, Rumplestiltskin materialized in the dungeon. He looked down at his daughter, a tear in his eye for what had happened this night. He had come to apologize, but he didn't want to wake her. She wouldn't accept it anyway; no one should forgive what he'd done.

So instead of making amends, he decided to inspire a dream in her like he had when she was a child. He showed her the prophecy he had gained from the seer all those centuries ago, just to give her something to go on and feel trusted.

**My longest chapter yet! I used to write really short chapters when I wasn't as good at writing. So I'm trying to improve on that and give my readers more. Also if I write more each time I can update slightly slower because I am very busy. I hope you all like it, I appreciate the support I've gotten so far. And I hope I didn't scare anyone too much with Rumple's behavior. **


	4. Part 1 Ch 4

Aleera fell asleep quickly, but she dreamt nothing for an hour, until a strange and beguiling dream came on. She saw her brother, Baelfire. She recognized him from her other dreams. Had she managed to dream of him herself? She was happy to see him. She walked with arms outstretched. But then with a gust of wind and green flashing light Bae was gone, and when she called out to him she only heard her father's voice.

"Bae? BAE!" Rumple cried.

Then all of a sudden Aleera felt swallowed up. Next thing she knew she was in a wooded area standing behind Rumplestiltskin, who was facing a woman who had eyes on the palms of her hands and her face was stitched where her eyes should be. Rumple's hand was reaching out to her, and she was stiff as a board being choked.

"You want to find your son!" the Seer croaked.

"Indeed," Rumple told her, and then he let her go. The woman gasped for breath and panted.

"You will find him," she told him.

"How?" Rumple growled. "And this time, don't leave out a single detail."

"It will not be an easy path," the Seer told him. "It will take many years, and require a curse. A curse, powerful enough to rip everyone from this land." The woman was greatly pained in telling him all of this.

Yes?" Rumple asked her. "I know there's more, tell me!"

"You will not cast the curse," said the Seer. "Someone else will." She reached around with her hands to see more clearly. "And you will not break the curse. Someone else will!" She reached up toward the heavens and convulsed.

"Will I create the curse?" Rumple asked. "Or…" and he mocked the Seer's movements. "…will someone el-se-se-se!"

"She will be quite helpful in it's creation," the Seer replied. At the use of that pronoun Rumple perked up again.

"Her?" he asked. "Who? Who is this her?"

"I don't know," she told him. "Even my powers have limits."

"Ah, ah, ah," he sneered. "Not, good enough, dearie." And then he proceeded to choke her again. Then the image Aleera was watching swirled into smoke and she went back to dreamless sleep.

When Rumple was finished giving her the dream, he dematerialized with her and placed her on the bed in her room. She would sleep better there. When she awoke she would be confused but she'd soon forget it when her training with Rumplestiltskin would start that day. When she was under the blankets and looked comfortable Rumple left the room to go to his own. But, when he was gone, Aleera's dreamlessness went away again, and another vision from the past came upon her.

She was in darkness and could only hear and feel. She heard pumping sounds and sloshing. She felt warmth and a flow of something. She could feel her fists clenched and that she was, in a fetal position of all things. She was confused, but then she started to hear some distant voices.

"When's my baby sister coming, Mama?" said a muffled voice.

"Very soon, dear," replied someone else. She knew that voice. How did she know that voice?

Next Aleera came into bright light and she was cold and coated with something sticky. She was cleaned and then wrapped into a blanket. She heard more voices, not very distinct. But they came into focus when she was handed to someone. A woman she recognized from long ago. Cora.

"No," Aleera moaned in her sleep. She didn't want to dream of this woman.

"Hello, my new princess," said Cora. And then Aleera felt a kiss on her forehead. It made Aleera whimper in her sleep.

Some other things happened, but the dream was very hazy and staccato. It was hard to focus. She was her baby self in this dream, she didn't have the ability to focus much. But suddenly like she'd put on spectacles, everything became clear. Aleera went from looking up at Cora to looking up at Rumplestiltskin. All she saw was the underside of his chin as he talked to Cora.

"I'm taking what I was promised," said Rumple to Cora. And he then looked down lovingly at Aleera. That made her breath hitch in her sleep; it was odd to see that. "No one breaks deals with me." And as smoke circled them both she heard Cora scream,

"No!"

Then everything went back to passing through quickly and disjointed. She saw Cora again picking her up and then she saw her parents arguing again. Fire flew and then Aleera was filled with rage she was startled by. She attacked the woman and then she was dropped. Cora's cry of, "You vile creature!" rang through Aleera's ears. She then emerged from the dream in rage and fright.

"No!" Aleera cried.

She then realized the horrifying images were gone. She was not in the dungeon, but in her room again and it was morning. Had all this been a dream? Not just her visions of the past, but of her running back to Alastair? She looked at the ceiling above her and saw the canopy was ripped apart. No, that first part had been real. Aleera felt a lump in her throat, but she wouldn't let herself cry now. Instead she focused her pain on what she'd dreamt. She then jumped out of bed and stormed out of the room. She completely ignored the fresh clothing laid out on the rocking chair in the corner.

"I was one of your deals!" Aleera screamed at Rumplestiltskin. He was having a heavy breakfast at the table in the grand hall. Aleera remembered this table being reduced to ash that day when Cora had come for her.

"One of my best," Rumple told her, not looking up from the slicing of his omelet. "I gave you that vision so I wouldn't have to waste time explaining it all to you."

"I would have preferred less visuals," Aleera growled. "You ripped me from my mother's arms when I was just born?" That made Rumple freeze.

"How would you know that?" he asked.

"It was in that vision you gave me!" she told him exasperatingly. "I saw the Seer telling you about my destiny. I assume I'm one of those three, maybe the 'she,' but I'm not positive," she took a breath in to continue her rant and was tortured by the scent of his food; she was starving. But she quickly recovered. "And then you showed me the altercations between you and Cora the day I was born and the day she tried to take me back." That made Rumple very grave.

"I only showed you one vision of the past," he told her. That made Aleera start.

"Then why did I see everything else?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said, which didn't help her. He seemed to be peeved actually. Foresight was only an ability he had. Aleera should have only inherited Cora's magic. But there could be no other explanation. He chose to keep that from her and went back to being his flourishing, imp-like self. "You must have pulled that from your memory." He took another bite of the scrumptious looking food and that made Aleera enviously swoon and fall into the chair on the right side of the table where she'd been standing.

"Well, good," he decided. "That means less exposition for me."

"Oh no," she countered. He was not getting off the hook this easily. "I have every right to know exactly why I'm so damn important and how you knew to acquire me."

"Of course you do," Rumple assured her and condescendingly patted her hand. She twitched at the contact. "But first," he said. "Breakfast."

He snapped his fingers and then food just as delectable as his appeared in front of her. Her mouth watered and she used her remaining strength to resist gobbling it down fiercely and uncivilized. She started slicing everything while breathing very heavily. Her first bite she shoved into her mouth and she barely tasted it for she just wanted to get it down her gullet in order to calm her hunger. But after that bite she had more manners and ate calmly.

"This is how I met your mother," Rumplestiltskin introduced. "She got herself in trouble with a certain King when she boasted to him that she could spin straw into gold."

"That's, what you do," Aleera clarified.

"Yes," he told her. "When she was locked into a tower full of straw…contemplating killing herself….absolutely desperate…" Rumple drew out his explanation. Aleera was getting impatient, he enjoyed that. "I appeared to her and made her a deal that I'd teach her how to do my craft."

"And you made me your price for that," Aleera finished for him.

"No, no," Rumple corrected her, flourishing his index finger in the air. "You weren't a concern at the time. It was her first born I was after."

"My sister," Aleera figured out. "I heard her voice in the vision. I…I think for part of it I was in the womb."

"Whatever," Rumple brushed off. "I saved her arse from the guillotine and she married into King Xavier's kingdom to Prince Henry."

"Prince who?" Aleera asked. She knew King Xavier's kingdom boasted many heirs, but the name Henry escaped her.

"Yes, exactly," Rumple chuckled. "It was the best she could do. Anyway, while I helped her with her master plan to get out of poverty and brought her to magic…we fell in love."

"I'm sorry, what?" Aleera asked surprised. "She loved you?" She accidentally put too much emphasis on the word, 'you,' so Rumple starred at her appalled. "Sorry," she apologized. "From what I saw of you two together, I sensed hatred."

"It was quite a bitter parting," Rumple shrugged.

"So how did I get involved?" Aleera asked. "She was married to Prince Henry wasn't she?" Then Aleera gasped. "She had an affair?" Rumple nodded to answer. "She was having an affair with you before she married him too didn't she? Why didn't she marry you?"

"I'm not the type," Rumple chortled. "She wanted power and riches. She did love me, but that wasn't enough. So she ripped out her heart and she's been unloving to anyone ever since."

"She did what you did to me last night," Aleera stated. She pondered that and then continued to ask questions. "So, was I birthed from your affair? Did her husband find out?"

"Yes to the first question, no to the other one," Rumple said in a singsong voice. He then got up and disappeared their food plates. "Come on, we've got work to do."

"What deal did she make with you that gave you possession of me?" Aleera asked, following him out of the door. "Why didn't she give my sister to you?"

"She offered you to me to get her daughter, Regina out of the deal," Rumple replied at the doorway to the foyer.

"But she fought to keep me," Aleera said, remembering it from the vision. "She didn't want you to have me."

"No she didn't," Rumple sneered. "But she made a deal with me. And those are always honored." Rumple beckoned her to follow him out the grand front doors. But Aleera didn't follow and stayed where she stood and made a clever insight.

"You still want Regina though don't you?" she asked. "She's important too."

"Yes," Rumple admitted. "She casts the curse."

"And what do I do?" Aleera asked.

"You create it." Rumple told her. Aleera deeply inhaled at that. She was the 'she' the Seer mentioned. She gulped and was frightened. All her life she knew she was to help find her brother, but she hadn't realized her destiny was this crucial.

"How could I invent a curse that could take us to a new world?" Aleera asked. "And why would it need to be broken later?"

"So we can get back," Rumple replied. And then he threw the large doors open and exited and added, "with Bae." And that was all he was going to say. When he was outside he saw that Aleera still hadn't followed him. She was frozen in the foyer. Rumple got aggravated and stormed back up the steps into the castle. "Training waits for no one, daughter," he scolded her. "We start now." And then he dragged her out.

Aleera had gotten a good refresher course her first night at the castle using magic. She had figured out what was her trigger and how to focus. She had a basic idea of the breadth of her ability. Over a few weeks Rumple expanded on the skills her adopted parents had given her, showing her what the magic she'd been missing could do when added. He did what he would later do for Regina.

"What does killing have to do with creating a curse?" Aleera asked when he tried to teach her how to rip out hearts on a unicorn he'd trapped. "I don't want to rip out hearts, that's evil!"

"How would you know it has nothing to do with it?" Rumple countered. "The ability to rip out hearts like this is a rare skill. Most end up killing the person in the process of removing it before they could even kill them intentionally. If you can rip out a heart risk free and master the manipulation of it, you can do anything."

"Thank you, but no thank you," Aleera said, stepping back from the unicorn. "I'm not doing it."

"Do it!" Rumple yelled. "Or I'll go to your lover boy and do it to him!"

"You weren't supposed to harm him again!" Aleera yelled back. "If I didn't stray from our work, he wasn't supposed to be harmed."

"This counts as straying," Rumple told her. "Take the creature's heart, will it to your bidding, and then kill it."

"All so you don't kill my fiancé?" Aleera questioned. "I know there is more to it." Rumple scowled, and pondered whether he should tell her what he knew would discourage her from her destiny.

"The curse you will create for me is a dark curse," he told her. "It's THE dark curse. You will have to embrace the evil in your blood to come up with what this curse will require. That good you cling to so badly will be sacrificed."

"That will never happen," Aleera argued. "I won't lose myself in this. I will remain who I am and do what needs to be done."

"You can't have both," Rumple told her. Something about Cora's daughters that he had foreseen was that unlike their mother they were difficult to convince that there is always only one choice.

"Watch me," Aleera glared at him.

She then ripped out the unicorn's heart and willed it to calm. She made it bend it's legs to lie down on the ground. And then, she willed it to sleep, and to pass on in it's sleep. It died with it's heart still intact. The light in it had merely burnt out. She then placed the heart back in. Although placing a live heart back in it's owner would revive it, this creature wasn't affected.

"See?" she smirked. She had done everything he'd said, every last thing. She had ripped out the heart, willed it, and also killed it. Rumple had forgot to specify the death as, 'crushing' it, like most did with hearts in their hands. Aleera had found a way to do both things she planned.

"I see we both trifle with technicalities," Rumple said, trying to recover his upper hand in this lesson. "But you still can't have everything." He then ushered her back inside and she followed him to the library. She had never been in there before.

"This is where you will spend your evenings after our physical training," he told her. "I have books on everything. You will use them to figure out how to create the curse."

"Have you any recommendations?" Aleera asked, examining all the rows of books. This would take a while.

"Alas I can only help you with so much," Rumple replied. "It has to be all done by you. But I have foreseen that our most recent lesson will be quite influential. But that's all I can do to help you." Rumple left her there and went down the stairs. Aleera pushed her sleeves up and delved into the books.

Every night after training Aleera was in there reading numerous texts. She learned helpful things every now and then, but often hit dead ends. She used her knowledge her parents gave her to recognize ingredients and what their magical abilities were. She scrawled on parchments her notes and bookmarked important segments. After two and a half years she finally had almost a good lead. The ingredients she chose seemed quite probable, for a milder curse. But for a dark curse, she needed something with quite a kick.

She finally read a book she had been avoiding because of the dark nature of it. She read about many dark and vile concoctions and objects that only evil would use. She came across a section about magical hearts and she chuckled about how she'd bested her father when she had to work with them.

"If a person's heart is removed magically they will still live even though they are missing a vital organ. The person who is skilled enough to remove it can control that person or creature and then can either restore the heart, keep it among them for further use, or crush it into a fine powder to kill their victim. These hearts can be used to bring a person back to life, but it requires other mysterious methods unknown to our land," Aleera read from the book. She knew all of this except that last part. But she didn't see why her father thought this would be helpful. So she read on.

"Hearts are also ingredients in some rare and high power curses. Such as making someone love you where you use the heart of a person you hate." There was then a footnote that said, "See, Curse of the Empty Hearted." It also listed a special candle that you could hold over the heart of someone and call for his or her life to give to someone else. She still didn't find that helpful. But she wanted to give her father the benefit of a doubt. So she read the third example.

"…and for using hearts of those one loves, those hearts can fulfill your grandest and most impossible desires by the use of it in a curse. But of course the price is that you must sacrifice someone you love, which will leave a void in your heart. If this can't get you what you seek, nothing can. This is your only option." That final example struck a chord with Aleera. She reread the last bit.

"If this can't get you what you seek, nothing can. This is your only option."

Rumplestiltskin had been right. That lesson about hearts had been useful. This curse was supposed to be the darkest of all curses. No other could counter it. She'd found the ingredient she was missing. A heart would certainly make up for the power missing in her past theories. She processed all of this very slowly. She was checking for flaws. But she realized this was the first time in all her equations that none had come to her mind

Tears came to Aleera's eyes when she realized he'd been right about not being able to have both. When Regina would cast this curse in order to achieve her task in this life long plan of Rumple's, she'd have to sacrifice the good in her and kill. Whoever cast the curse would have to sacrifice someone THEY loved. Rumple wouldn't lose anything. But both Aleera and Regina would. Although Regina would be the one to kill, Aleera would technically be helping her. They'd both be murderers. They'd have to become as evil as their parents.

With great pains Aleera wrote the final and most important ingredient on the parchment where she'd had all the other required ingredients. She stared at it for a while feeling defeated. She found a way to get her brother back. But she was sacrificing her sister in the process. She wasn't able to pick both.

"Good job, dearie," she heard from the stairs. She turned to see her father standing there victoriously. She then saw a disruption out of the corner of her eye and saw that the parchment she'd written the recipe on had dematerialized, and had landed in Rumple's hand. Aleera sprang up, but there was nothing she could do.

"How could you?" she asked him through tears. "This is absolutely unfair to Regina and I. We will sacrifice everything while you give up nothing. My sister will have to kill the person she loves most just so you get a ticket to another land. You and I get Baelfire out of it, but what does she get?"

"Her revenge." Rumple told her.

"Revenge for what?"

"For what will come to pass." His answer wasn't satisfactory to Aleera. She opened her mouth to ask further but then Rumplestiltskin silenced her with a wave. "You have fulfilled your destiny. You are free to go." And then with another wave of his hand he dematerialized her.

Next thing she knew she was in a forest. It took her a moment to adjust to the dark and moonlight. But soon she saw that she was in the spot of woods in between her parents' home and Alastair. She was only 16 and she had already done what she had to do. She was free. But there was still so much she didn't know. And she couldn't just stand back and do nothing. But there was nothing she could do at the moment so she ran in the direction of her parents' home. When she got there she barged through the front door screaming for her parents.

"Who's there?" she heard her father say from his and her mother's room. When he came out of the room he lit a candle and held it up to his eyes.

"I'm home, Papa," Aleera said, stepping into the light.

"Aleera?" Dora called from the bedroom. She came out with a lantern and then proved her suspicion. "Aleera!" she called out. She then quickly placed down the lantern and ran to hug her daughter. Roderick embraced them both and eventually Liza roused and came out and joined them.

"Alastair will be so happy to see you," Roderick said to her.

"Has he been waiting for me?" Aleera asked. She had been sure with her undetermined return he would have been betrothed to someone else.

"Of course he has," Dora said. "But he can wait till morning to see you. This is our time."

**I worked very hard on this chapter. I am seeing the story alerts and story favorites coming in and I love that people are interested. Don't be afraid to give me reviews. Although I prefer praise I can receive nourishment from critiques too. My big questions to my readers are: Should I shorten my chapters. And, are you alright with all the Aleera backstorying or would you like to revisit present day before giving the rest of the background info? I have some Rumplestiltskin POV I want to introduce. **


	5. Part 1 Ch 5

Alastair was oiling the creaky gate outside of his house when Aleera arrived. She had thought to send word to him to prepare him for her arrival. But she wanted to surprise him. She had walked halfway through the wood, then she'd ran the other half, and then when she'd entered the clearing she'd smoked out and appeared right behind him. She was desperate to get to him and couldn't wait another moment.

"It was always impossible to sneak in here with that gate," Aleera said.

Alastair stood up straight and stiffened. Was he hearing her voice from his imagination? He slowly turned around and saw it was she. His unfathomable depression he'd had for nearly 3 years lifted in that moment. In his extreme euphoria he trapped her in his arms and they fell to the ground in a passionate embrace. They kissed as if it had been an eternity since they'd seen each other.

"Please tell me you're back for good," he begged her when they had stopped to breathe. Aleera didn't respond. He looked into her eyes, asking them to answer. When she still didn't respond he feared what he'd hoped for was too good to be true. When she tried to wriggle herself out from under him he rolled off of her. They both rose to standing and they stared at each other.

"Has he freed you or not?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"He has," she finally responded. "But I still have unfinished business with him."

"Like what?" he asked exasperated. "I've been waiting forever to get you back and I have you for the briefest moment, and you want to scurry back to him?"

"I need to save my sister," Aleera told him. He stared at her aghast.

"He's after Liza?" he asked.

"No," Aleera replied. "My biological sister. Her name is Regina. She is also destined to help him find my brother." She pulled Alastair over to the bench against the wall of his house and told him everything that had happened while she'd been with Rumplestiltskin and what her and Regina's destinies were.

"I can't let her fulfill her part in the plan," Aleera told him after she'd filled him in. "I have to stop my father from getting to her and turning her evil. Even if that means I'll never get my brother back."

"Whose to say she will become evil?" Alastair asked. Aleera groaned; he wasn't getting it. He received her response and then tried to explain his reasoning. "You spent a couple years with him doing his bidding, and you're not evil are you?"

"I will be if Regina kills the person she loves most because of my curse," Aleera told him.

"One act of evil doesn't make a person evil does it?" Alastair asked her.

"A good person wouldn't kill the person they loved," Aleera explained. "Rumple won't just pop up on her one day, give her the curse, and she will just enact it. He will have to transform her into a person that would use it."

"What makes you think he will succeed?" Alastair asked. "He didn't succeed in turning you evil. Maybe your wills are the same. Being sisters and all."

"We weren't raised the same," she argued. "I had the most loving and nurturing parents a person could hope for. Regina was raised by Cora. Gods, maybe she's already evil…" Aleera was now the one fearing all hope was lost.

"All hope is not lost," said a voice above them. Aleera and Alastair looked up and saw a fairy. She was wearing all blue. "I'm the Blue Fairy," she said.

"You exist?" Alastair asked stunned. Both he and Aleera marveled at this miniature woman. Aleera knew about her through her mother, but Alastair was not privy to Dora's past.

"Yes, dear one," the fairy replied. "I know about your father's plan to find your brother. I'm the one who helped your brother escape."

"Escape?" Aleera asked. "Rumple said he was taken."

"The Dark One is very prone to choice of words," Blue said. "Baelfire was taken, by means of a magic bean. But he chose to go."

"To escape my father?" Aleera asked.

"He planned to take your father with him," Blue explained. "But your father was afraid and he let your brother go."

"He never told me that," Aleera processed this staring at the ground.

"He probably thought you wouldn't help if you knew," Alastair reasoned. "I certainly wouldn't. Your brother is better off without him."

"You won't have to chose between your siblings," Blue said to Aleera. She seemed aware of all Aleera's fears and desire to have both. "You can save both of them from your father by stopping your father's plans for Regina and keeping your brother's whereabouts a secret."

"But then I'll never meet him," Aleera said. "I won't know if he really is safe. I don't even know if he's still alive."

"I regret that your brother had to run away to be free," Blue said. "But I wouldn't have given him the bean if going to that world would have hurt either him or your father."

"Your brother is safe where he is," Alastair assured Aleera. "I'd stake my life on it. Your focus should be on Regina."

"But I don't know how to find her," Aleera said. "Do you know where she is?" she asked the Blue Fairy.

"You have the ability to find her," Blue said. "Like me you can sense where people are and when they need you."

"I don't know how," Aleera said. "My father never taught me,"

"It's innate in you," Blue said. "You've used it before. When you tried to sense where Alastair and your parents were your first night in your father's castle."

"How do you know that?" Aleera asked. "How'd you even know to find me? Do you know who my parents are? You weren't supposed to be able to find my mother. Gods, I've led you right to her." Aleera jumped up and it startled both the Blue Fairy and Alastair.

"Aleera, what is wrong?" Alastair stood up trying to calm her.

"If she was able to find me that means my parents are no longer protected from being found by fairies or mages. Rumplestiltskin shielded them so they wouldn't be punished by their people."

"Now, calm yourself," Blue said. "We have no intention to punish your mother."

"I can't say the same for the mages," Aleera said. And then she dematerialized.

"Where has she gone now?" Alastair asked.

"She's gone to save her parents," Blue said. "Mages and Fairies have had issues since the beginning of time. The mages feel threatened by us because of our power. Roderick came from a clan of evil mages. They won't be happy to find he's been with a fairy all this time. Even a former one."

"You must do something!" Alastair panicked.

"I'll go," Blue said. "But I fear it may be too late. For your own protection you should stay here." Then the Blue Fairy left. Alastair wasn't the type to hide. So he ran inside to grab his sword. He then rushed out and sprinted for the woods to get to Aleera's home.

When Aleera materialized in front of her parents' house she saw that the front door had been ripped from its hinges. The mages had been here. Aleera crept up to the porch and then she saw around the side of the house, laid her papa. The color had been bleached from his skin, but around his mouth, eyes, and nostrils was black. She rushed to him and felt for a heartbeat but upon touching his chest that part of him gave and her hand sunk into his burning hot insides. He'd been set afire from the inside. Aleera pulled her burnt hand back and was in anguish.

"No, Papa," Aleera cried.

But she had no time to grieve now. She had to find her mother and sister. She ran inside and saw that the house was quite overturned. She called to her mother frantically and went to search for her in the bedrooms. She came into her parents' room and she buried her face into the door jam and screamed in agony when she saw what was inside. Her mother's eyes were gouged out, her throat was slit, she'd been gutted, and her skirt was ripped to shreds to show that her privates had been carved up. Aleera couldn't look at her. She was too mortified. Her father was disintegrating and her mother had been ravaged. She feared what had happened to her sister.

She looked into the room that they shared and didn't see her. She looked under the beds and in the wardrobe. She couldn't go back into her parents' room to look under that bed. But she didn't want to think that her sister had been kidnapped. So she tried to sense her. She had a bond with this sister; she should be able to find her. She felt with her heart for her sister and felt a strong feeling that her sister was still there. She followed the feeling to the main room of the cabin and sensed that she was behind the fireplace. Aleera saw that the hatch to the chimney was closed. Her parents had slipped her in there before the mages could see her.

"Liza?" Aleera called out. "You can come out now." Liza did not release the clasp to open the hatch. What Aleera heard was scrambling. Liza was climbing up the chimney. Aleera then heard a racket on the roof. She heard a thud and a wince from Liza. Aleera started walking toward the door, but when Liza came into view a dagger flew at Aleera and stabbed her in the shoulder. Liza had thrown it. Aleera fell to the ground.

"My parents are dead because of you!" Liza bellowed. She then fell to her knees, grabbed the handle to the dagger, and tried to twist it inside Aleera. She managed to only move it 40 degrees, but it still hurt Aleera. Liza then worked at tugging the blade out. And when she finally pulled it out she held it above her head with her left hand and held Aleera's throat with her right hand. "DIE!" Liza screamed. But before she could strike, the dagger disappeared from Liza's hand. The Blue Fairy was looming over them.

"Don't hurt your sister, Liza," Blue said. Aleera loosened herself from Liza's grip and crawled backwards to get away. Liza did the same and then got into a standing position.

"She's not my sister!" she cried. "I'm an only child. And now I'm an orphan because of this witch!"

"I would have come sooner if I'd known that this would happen." Aleera tried to convince her. "I accept full responsibility. But I would have saved them if I could." She chose not to move from the floor. She was in shock too. They were both crying.

"It's as much my fault as it is hers," Blue said to Liza. "I shouldn't have kept your sister away. But nothing can be done now. Other than you fulfill your destiny of becoming a fairy. Then we can take you away from all of this and keep you safe."

"Yes," Aleera said. "You would be better off far away from me. The fairies can protect you."

"You never should have come back!" Liza spat.

"I don't think that would have changed anything," Blue assured her. "It isn't Aleera's fault that the mages were finally able to find your parents. It is only because of her."

"What difference does that make? Whose overall fault was it then?" Liza asked. The Blue Fairy said nothing. Aleera had to think about it, but then it became clear.

"My real father," Aleera realized. She then stood and headed out the door.

"Where are you going?" Liza called out to her.

"Take her to your safe haven," Aleera said to the Blue Fairy. At that moment Alastair finally arrived. He looked around flabbergasted.

"My parents are dead," Aleera told him. "And it's Rumplestiltskin's fault. I have to go confront him."

"I'm coming with you," Alastair said. Aleera opened her mouth to argue, but he silenced her. "No," he said. "You aren't doing this alone." Aleera conceded and took his hand and dematerialized with him. They materialized in the library of Rumple's castle. Aleera had sensed him there. He had chosen to spin in that room that day. The tables in the room were full of potion ingredients and there was a display of vials on a shelf.

"I believe our work was done," Rumple said not looking up from spinning. With a wave of her hand Aleera sent the wheel flying and it crashed into a wall of books. Rumple then looked up from his bench and gave her his full attention. "What did you have to prove with that?" he asked, standing up and waltzing over to her.

"I give you everything you wanted and you get my parents killed?" Aleera growled. Alastair stood next to her trying to keep a strong front, but he was still piecing everything together.

"What makes you think I'm responsible?" Rumple asked innocently.

"A got a visit from the Blue Fairy today," Aleera said. "Which if your protection spell was holding wouldn't have been possible. The mages were able to find us too."

"Ah, yes, deals can go sour sometimes," Rumple said in fake woe.

"When you break them absolutely," Aleera said. "Your part of the deal was to protect them from the fairies and mages vision. The price was to raise me and they did that. They didn't break the deal, you did."

"No I didn't," Rumple argued. "The deal completed itself. I protected them if they'd protect you. Once they fulfilled their end of the bargain, what with raising you to adulthood without messing up, the deal finished itself."

"And magic comes with a price," Aleera said quoting her father's favorite phrase. "Protection isn't full proof." She looked at the situation like her father would to figure that out.

"Exactly," Rumple said, bopping her on the nose with his finger. He then looked down at her shoulder and saw she was bleeding and then he saw her hand. "You're hurt," he said. Aleera looked down at it and she finally started to weaken from it. Alastair held her up but she was in desperate need of healing. "Let's remedy this shall we?" Rumple said. And then he healed her shoulder and her burnt hand. When she had her strength back she stood up on her own and shoved her father back.

"This changes nothing!" she growled. "You could have continued to protect them after they did what you wanted of them. You owed them. You didn't have to let this magic have a price."

"It was foolish of me to think your father's old clan wouldn't still be looking for him," Rumple admitted. "But what's done is done. Let's try to move on."

"I will never forgive you for this," Aleera told him.

"I'm used to being hated," Rumple said. "It's not necessarily a deterrent for me."

"A deterrent for what?" Alastair asked, finally speaking up.

"I have a request of you two," Rumple said.

"What would we ever give you after what you've done?" Alastair asked.

"A lock of hair," Rumple replied. He then reached up and ripped out strands from both of them. They both yelped in pain and were incensed. Aleera clawed at her father but he jumped back cackling.

"What would you need that for?" Alastair hissed.

"An experiment." Rumple replied. "You should be honored. The experiment requires hair from true loves. See, even I think you two are perfect for each other."

"You can't use that without our permission," Aleera told him.

"Don't fool yourself that you will get it back from me," Rumple countered. "I promise it isn't for anything evil," he added trying to be angelic.

"If you get some of our hair, we get some of yours," Aleera told him.

"Why?" Alastair asked her.

"For a protection spell," Aleera told him. She then turned back to her father. "As long as I'm around you will not be able to harm Alastair."

"Are we making a deal?" Rumple asked in amusement. "You know the consequences of those."

"This isn't a deal," Aleera told him sneering. "It is a mandate. See it as payment for what you've done. But realize it won't change anything."

"Fine," Rumple said. And then he went to take some of his hair from his head.

"Allow me," Aleera said. And then she lunged at his head with her arm and tore the hair out with gusto. The pain didn't bother Rumple too much, but Aleera took pleasure in it all the same.

"Shouldn't you make the protection spell also apply to you?" Rumple asked her.

"I actually had faith in you that you wouldn't kill your own child," Aleera replied. "But if you advise it I'll make it so you can't kill me to get to Alastair." She then took Alastair's hand in the one of hers not holding the hair, and they dematerialized. They materialized in her parents cabin and found it deserted.

"Where's Liza?" Alastair asked looking around.

"The Blue Fairy has already taken her," Aleera said. "I'm never to see her again."

"I'm sorry," Alastair said to her wrapping his arm around her shoulder and kissing the top of her head. "For everything."

"I always knew it was dangerous for me to be around them. But I just wouldn't listen to that warning. I've always felt I could have both. I need to drop that delusion."

"I don't think that there is always absolutely one choice," Alastair tried to convince her. "Don't let that imp take your strength from you. We didn't promise him we'd step back and not ruin his plans."

"I know we didn't," Aleera assured him. "I made sure of it. I'm going to find Regina and I will prevent her from following through with the curse. I just hope she isn't burnt with permanent no resolve because her destiny was never fulfilled. I hope she has another one."

"Do you think you can find her?" Alastair asked.

"I don't have a bond with her like I do you and the family that raised me," Aleera listed the flaw in her plan. "But if I work at strengthening my sensing ability I will find her one day."

"We should get the Blue Fairy to help us find her," Alastair said. "We don't want to risk you not finding her in time."

"The Blue Fairy can't help us now," Aleera said. "The last thing I can do to make up to Liza is not to involve her new people in my battle and get them hurt. My father might not kill me for going against him, but he's not fond of fairies. We are on our own."

"Is Miss Independent going to let me help?" Alastair asked her, moving to stand in front of her and placing his hands on her waist.

"As much as you possibly can," Aleera said. "But there will be things I have to do by myself."

Aleera worked for 2 years to try to find her sister. She would go to the woods where she wouldn't be bothered and she'd meditate to focus her thoughts to her sister. Until she got a hold on Regina there wasn't much Alastair could do. He tried to get the marriage plans started back up. But Aleera wasn't ready. Alastair could do nothing but offer moral support. But then one day, Alastair's father Horatio came to them with some intriguing news.

"King Leopold has found a wife," he told them. Alastair and Aleera were quite knowledgeable of King Leopold's movements because Horatio was a guard in his court.

"That didn't take long," Alastair commented. Aleera didn't react very strongly. She was pouting that she had yet to get a connection to Regina. But Horatio wasn't done reporting the news.

"The young maiden's name is Regina," he told them. "And her mother's name is Cora." Aleera immediately perked up.

"What are the chances it's her?" Alastair joked. "I think my father found your sister."

"Her father is Prince Henry if that will convince you further," Horatio said. He then reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a drawing of Regina. "I was given this by King Leopold to take to the castle tomorrow. He wanted the servants to get acquainted with her face so they would be ready for her when they arrive. Will this help you focus? You can have it until tomorrow morning."

Aleera took the drawing and rushed out the door to go to the woods where she'd felt most at peace. She found the spot that she'd most often frequented and sat down on the ground. She looked down at the drawing and memorized her sister's face. She then held the drawing to her heart, closed her eyes, and started to use her power.

She got brief glimpses of Regina and quick images. She tried to focus them and piece them together but it was difficult. She then harnessed the love she'd had for her sister and she got the images to slow down and play smoothly. She saw her sister embracing a man who was not King Leopold. Then she saw fear in her sister's face when her mother accepted the proposal from King Leopold. Aleera trembled; this hadn't been Regina's choice. Gods no, it was starting. Then she saw the image that confirmed further that Rumplestiltskin was already at work. She saw Regina crying over the man she'd embraced. He appeared to be dead.

"You ruined everything," she heard Regina say. She was glaring up at someone. Aleera spent focus trying to see the person who had done all this and one name came to mind. Cora. Was Cora trying to eliminate those Regina loved most so she'd have no heart to use? Was this her revenge to Rumplestiltskin? She knew Cora was against Rumple's plans because it threatened her plans with her daughters.

But then Aleera saw Regina in the comfort of another man's arms. Still not Leopold, but he was around the same age. She called him, Daddy. Aleera sensed that Prince Henry was another person Regina loved with all her heart. So there was still a candidate for the curse. The last thing she saw was the princess Snow White skipping away from Regina, and a transformed villainous expression on her sister's face. Although there was lack of images to support it, Aleera could sense that Snow White was somehow involved in this. She could feel what her sister felt.

"I should have let her die on that horse," Regina growled. And then Aleera pulled herself from the connection because she couldn't take it anymore and she was about to pass out. She lay down on the ground and tried to process everything she'd seen. She may already be too late. The seeds of evil were beginning to implant in Regina. Rumplestiltskin wouldn't be far behind.

"No," Aleera said aloud to herself. Then she sat up and then pulled herself up using a boulder nearby and stood. She wasn't going to let it get worse. She went back to Alastair's house to get more information out of Horatio.

"Why has Leopold set his sights on my sister?" Aleera asked him.

"He deemed her worthy because of her interest in his daughter," Horatio said. "She saved the little girl's life from a rogue horse."

Aleera factored that into why Regina would blame Snow. And she decided that Regina blamed Snow for Leopold staking a claim on her. And apparently she felt in the long run it was Snow's fault that Cora killed the man she really loved so she would have no one but Leopold to marry. Aleera felt that this was a bit of a stretch. Cora was plenty evil on her own. She didn't need anything or anyone to make her do more evil things. But Regina was clearly in pain.

"I need to get to Regina," Aleera told Horatio. "How can I do that?"

"You mean you want me to take you to Regina's home?" Horatio asked. "They are heading out soon. You won't have time to save her from your father."

"Then I need to get into the castle," Aleera said.

"And what would be your excuse for being there?" Alastair asked.

"There must be a job I can have that will get me close to her," Aleera argued. "Ill clean out her chamber pot if I have to. Just please Horatio, get me in there."

"Well," Horatio thought about it. "With a new Queen the King will be looking for ladies in waiting for her. A couple names are already lined up and waiting. But maybe you can be added."

"But I have no title or breeding that would deem me worthy," Aleera sadly countered.

"I think the betrothed of a guard's son will be deemed acceptable," Horatio said. "After all, the plan was for my son to become a member of the same guard I'm in."

"I was hoping to venture out," Alastair said begrudgingly. "But if this means you get to your sister, I'll do anything." Alastair was happy to finally be able to contribute something.

"What will have to be done to get me that position?" Aleera asked.

"I'll have to get you involved with the advisor of the castle," Horatio said. "And get him to agree with me to convince King Leopold to take you on. His majesty always says to his men that have protected his life that he would do any favor for them. I can use that favor to get you a place."

"Okay," Aleera said nodding. "Let's do this."

A few months later after a lengthy hiring process, Aleera was the personal assistant to the Queen. However by that time it was a month after Regina had committed the most evil a crime of killing someone and Aleera knew her father was involved. Aleera was already quite disadvantaged. But she wasn't going to give in.


	6. Part 1 Ch 6

Present Day

Aleera and Regina had fun together when they were left alone. When no one was watching they acted as equals. They talked about dreams they had and cherished childhood experiences. Aleera told her what she could about her past that wouldn't make her suspicious. She told Regina how she got the position at the castle.

"So you're engaged," Regina remarked when she heard the news.

"Yes, for four years now," Aleera said.

"Why haven't you had the ceremony yet? Why the wait?" Regina asked. She in truth didn't blame Jane for not being married yet. Regina wished she hadn't been forced into one as young as she was.

"We aren't in any rush," Aleera told her. "We've known each other our whole lives. We don't expect to leave each others lives any time soon."

"I knew my true love all my life too," Regina admitted. Aleera knew exactly what she was talking about. But she had to remain clueless as far as Regina knew.

"You loved someone else before the King?" she asked in mock surprise. Regina bristled at the idea of loving Leopold. But she knew where Jane's loyalty lied. She could tell this girl anything. After all, this girl hadn't raised an alarm when she helped her select her murderous guard. She had this girl wrapped around her finger.

"This was an arranged marriage," Regina blushed and twiddled her thumbs. "Snow White needed a mother."

"That's an awful large responsibility to put on the shoulders of someone as young as you," Aleera commented. The complimenting of her age pleased Regina. Aleera always knew what to say.

"Yes, but I've made it clear that I have no intention to replace the former Queen. I have other plans."

"Anything I can help you with?" Aleera asked. She was nervous again; Regina seemed to be accepting evil all too comfortably.

"In time," Regina said. "I actually don't have much of a plan." Aleera could tell that Regina was desperate for a way to free herself, but she did not know how. She hadn't learned of the curse yet.

"Well let me know," Aleera told her. They smiled at each other. Then Snow came barging in like she tended to do.

"Father is throwing a ball!" Snow exclaimed to both Regina and Aleera. Aleera reacted enthusiastically like Snow clearly wanted, but Regina faked joy. Snow sensed that and was let down. But then Aleera distracted Snow by clasping her hand in merriment and the two of them laughed together.

"You already know what the ball is about don't you," Snow giggled to Aleera.

"You do?" Regina asked shocked. She then gave a disapproving look to Aleera as if to say, 'You couldn't have warned me?'

"Yes," Aleera answered Snow. She looked to Regina and gave an apologetic look and then told her about it. "It is to honor the new guards. My fiancé is being knighted. His vigil is tonight. The ceremony is tomorrow. The ball will be that night."

"Sir Horatio Felixson, Sir Alastair Horatioson and Maid Jane," stated the announcer at the entrance of the grand hall. Aleera and Alastair walked arm and arm into the room and Horatio walked behind them. They went up to the thrones of Leopold and Regina and bowed to them. Leopold beckoned they rise and he stood with them to congratulate the new Knight and to compliment him on his betrothed. Regina stood and spoke with Aleera. Horatio stood proudly with them and shook hands with the King.

"He's grown into a fine young lad," Leopold said to Horatio about Alastair.

"Thank you, milord," Horatio replied. And he bowed his head again.

"And his intended, Maid Jane is quite handsome," Regina replied. Leopold cut a brief side look to his wife but was focused on the honorees.

"I'm honored your majesty," Aleera said to Regina, and she curtsied. Regina gave her a look whose meaning was a secret to anyone but Aleera. Her expression said, 'As if we are this formal in private.'

The feast began soon after. When everyone had his or her fill, Leopold announced that entertainment would begin. Musicians played harps, flutes, and lire. Then to Regina's surprise Aleera rose to sing a song for the court. It was a song that Regina knew well. It had been a favorite of hers from her childhood. She didn't realize she'd hummed it in Aleera's presence previously and that she was the one who gave Aleera the idea to perform it. The guests were as enamored with Aleera as Regina was. Regina was brought to quiet tears, but she tried to hide it from everyone.

"Now that the entertainment has performed," Leopold said to the court. "Let the dancing begin!" He went to start the dancing. But instead of beckoning his wife he completely bypassed her and ushered his daughter onto the dance floor. When Leopold and Snow had their own special dance the announcer welcomed others to join. Aleera saw that Regina was all alone and was probably feeling unappreciated. So she suggested to Alastair that he ask her to dance.

"But I wanted my first dance to be with you," Alastair argued. He pouted to her and his eyes sparkled.

"It will make her so happy to have someone to dance with," Aleera said. "You can have me the next dance."

"I'll keep her company son," Horatio said. And then he escorted Aleera onto the floor and they danced together. Alastair plucked up his courage to speak to Regina, properly for the first time.

"May I be so bold as to ask her highness to dance," Alastair said to Regina as he bowed. Regina was taken aback. She looked for Aleera and saw that she was dancing with her soon to be father-in-law. She looked back at the young Knight and he appeared to be nervous.

"Forgive me for being forward," he apologized. And he began to back away but then the Queen finally spoke up.

"You may dance with me," she told him. And then she held out her hand. He took it and led her to the dance floor. They bowed to each other and then joined the dance. "I hear you and Jane, have been together quite a while," Regina said to him as they waltzed.

"Yes we have," Alastair answered. "Now that I'm knighted we will start planning the wedding."

"We should let you have the ceremony at the castle," Regina offered as he twirled her. "Jane is very special to me and I'd love her to have the ceremony of her wildest dreams."

"Has she said that?" Alastair questioned as the dance changed into a contra dance and they began to circle the dance floor.

"No, but who wouldn't want to get married in a castle?" Regina asked.

"She and I always dreamed of having a private ceremony on Firefly Hill," Alastair said. Regina froze where she stood at that moment. She and Daniel loved to go to Firefly Hill. "Is something wrong?" Alastair asked.

"No, no," Regina got her bearings. "I'm just overheated. I think I'm going to walk in the courtyard."

"Shall I escort you?" Alastair asked.

"No," she told him. "I'm fine. Enjoy the ball." And then she left him and headed out the doors. Aleera saw her leave and she excused herself from Horatio and came over to ask Alastair what happened.

"She just all of a sudden had a whim to be alone," Alastair told her. "I offered to keep her company I swear."

"I should go check on her," Aleera said.

"But you owe me a dance," Alastair reminded her.

"She needs me, Alastair," Aleera said.

"I'm sure she's fi…" Alastair started to say. But then Snow appeared at Aleera's side.

"Is this your fiancé?" she asked Aleera, smiling up at the handsome Alastair.

"Yes he is," Aleera told her. "Would you like to keep him company while I attend to the Queen?"

"If he will dance with me," Snow said, beaming up at him. Aleera gave him an encouraging look and then excused herself. She felt Alastair reach for her but she was gone before he could grasp her. Aleera got to the doors and looked back. Alastair was bowing to Snow and he spun her out onto the floor. Aleera was satisfied and then she went out. She found Regina under her apple tree.

"It was nice of you to dance with Alastair," she said to Regina sitting down with her.

"I don't think it was I who was doing the favor," Regina replied. She slid a sly smile Aleera's way. "You didn't have to make him do that."

"I just wanted you to enjoy the ball," Aleera said. "I promise I won't do anything behind your back like that again. Please your majesty; let's go back inside. The guests will notice your absence."

"You really think so?" Regina asked her. Aleera took her hand and grasped it with both of hers.

"I know so," Aleera assured her. She got up from the bench and helped the Queen up. They linked arms and walked in together. The ball patrons really hadn't noticed their absence all except for Alastair. He clearly hadn't let his eyes stray much from the doorway the entire time he danced with Snow.

"You're so mean," Regina teased Aleera when she saw that the princess was pulling Alastair this way and that. "Go relieve her and dance with your fiancé. I haven't seen you with him all night."

"Yes, your majesty," Aleera obeyed. Aleera walked up to Alastair and Snow and Alastair bowed to Snow and thanked her for the lovely dance. Snow looked disappointed to be losing her dancing partner. But then Regina went into her eye line and beckoned she come to her side. At the recognition from her stepmother that she longed for Snow happily let them be. Then Alastair and Aleera finally had their dance.

When the ball ended and the guests were leaving Aleera and Alastair had to part for the night. They'd see each other the next day in the Knights' Tournament. Aleera had to assist Regina in getting ready for bed, and then she could rest her aching feet. She and the Queen walked slowly to her chambers and when they were away from other peoples' eyes they lapsed into their usual playful friendship.

"I thought that ball would never end!" Regina said as Aleera helped her get out of her gown. They were both laughing.

"These knighting ceremonies only happen once a year," Aleera assured her. "I'm sure the next ball won't be until Snow White's birthday and that isn't for another 5 months."

"Mine is in one month," Regina said as She felt relief from Aleera getting all the laces loosened. "Do you think Snow will insist on having another ball? I don't think I could take it."

"Well let's hope it is up to you how your birthday is celebrated," Aleera said. She started to lower the dress off of Regina's shoulders when there was a knock on the doors and Leopold came in. Aleera pulled the dress back up around Regina's shoulders and held it closed so Regina wouldn't be too exposed.

"No," he said. "Keep going." He was wearing a robe over a nightgown. He clearly intended to spend his night in here. Which spelled dread for Regina because it meant she'd have to perform her wifely duty with him. He didn't come to her often, but their marriage had been consummated. Although Leopold had no intention to conceive any more heirs, it was expected that he have relations with his wife.

Aleera didn't know how to act. Leopold hadn't come to his wife like this yet in Aleera's service. Aleera looked Regina in the eyes and Regina said wordlessly to her that it was all right. So Aleera continued to undress her sister while the King looked on. She stripped Regina down to her undergarments. Aleera knew Regina would be sleeping naked under her nightgown. But she didn't want Regina to feel ogled in her vulnerable state. So she chose to slip the nightgown over her head and then slide off the undergarments. Leopold made tisk tisk sounds at the teasing way Aleera had dressed Regina. But Aleera didn't want to torture Regina. She knew Regina didn't want to be with this man.

"That will be all," Leopold said. But Aleera didn't move. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"I was going to warm the bed," she said. She directed him to the heating pan in the fire.

"Ah yes," he realized. "Do that and then you can retire." Aleera didn't know why she was stalling. This was happening no matter what. So she picked up her pace and completed her last task quickly. She pulled the blankets down and tucked Regina in when she climbed into the bed. She then bowed to the King and Queen and left the room.

Regina watched her go and knew that Aleera felt terrible at that moment. But as much as Regina hated sleeping with her husband, it was always consensual. She realized she'd never denied him, so she had no idea if he'd force himself on her if her response were not what he wanted. But he was not an abusive man. He was just lonely. His mind was always somewhere else. Thinking about Queen Eva probably. Regina was always thinking about Daniel.

"I'm not going to the tournament today, Jane," Regina said as Aleera was preparing her bath. "I have some business to attend to."

"Alright," Aleera said. She had hoped to watch Alastair fight. He wouldn't stand for it if he found out Regina had kept her from it. "What will we be doing?"

"I can do it alone," Regina said. "My guard will be with me. I don't want you to miss the games. Alastair needs your support."

"Are you sure?" Aleera asked. She didn't really want Regina to reconsider, but she knew she should ask.

"I'm sure," Regina said. She then slipped off her nightgown and climbed into the tub. She relaxed when she was submerged in the water. She was sore today. Leopold the very unromantic lover hadn't the strength to support himself up on his hands. So when he was on top of her she was bearing all of his weight. She got her hair wet and allowed Aleera to wash it with the serum.

"Is Alastair nervous today?" Regina asked.

"He's very brave," Aleera replied. She then had Regina tilt her head back so she could wash out the serum. "I'm the one who is nervous."

"I'm sure he will do fine." Regina said. She then sat up so Aleera could use the sponge to scrub her back. Aleera did so, but she was dying to make sure that Regina was all right about what had happened the previous night. But she ended up going about it the wrong way.

"I couldn't sleep knowing what the King was doing to you," she said. Regina stiffened under the sponge. She didn't want to have to think about her wifely duty as something dreadful. She wanted to just forget about it.

"That really isn't your concern," Regina told her. She didn't turn to look at her when she said it. She was glad that someone in this castle was on her side. But there was only so much of her true self she could reveal to this girl. This girl was the essence of good. If she knew what Regina really was like, their friendship wouldn't be able to exist. She wanted the subject changed fast. But Aleera wasn't giving in. She moved from her seat behind Regina and kneeled by the side of the tub so she could look Regina in the eyes.

"What if I can free you from all of this?" Aleera asked.

"What are talking about Jane," Regina asked.

"What if we run away?" Aleera asked a more specific question.

"That's absurd," Regina told her. "Why would we do that?"

"This is a prison to you more than it is a home," Aleera said. "I know you didn't want this. And you should not have had to endure it."

"I am not a prisoner in my own kingdom," Regina denied. "This is insanity, Jane, please do not speak of this again." Aleera continued to stare into Regina's eyes. She wanted Regina to drop her walls. She knew her plan was full of flaws and was probably impossible. But she wished it could work out.

"I'm going to be late," Regina said breaking the silence. Aleera gave in and went to get Regina a towel to wrap herself in. She held it open for Regina to step into and she went to help her get dressed.

**I thought I'd write a slightly shorter chapter than I usually do. Do you all prefer my longer ones or was this shorter one a nice change? Please write reviews of my story if you can. I have no idea if my readers are satisfied with my work or not. **


	7. Part 1 Ch 7

"Long time no see, dearie," said Rumplestiltskin when Regina arrived. Unbeknownst to Aleera the private business Regina had was with Rumple. He had sent a message to her saying that he had something to give her. They hadn't had a meeting since Aleera had come into Regina's life.

"I've been training a new lady in waiting," Regina said. "We've been spending a lot of time together and I haven't been able to get away."

"Maybe you ought to get her a hobby or a pet," Rumple joked. Regina made a show of smirking to him. But she knew she depended on the friendship she had with Jane. Although she knew the idea Jane had come up with that morning was tempting, it was a false hope she couldn't let herself have.

"I believe you had something you wanted to give me," she said to him.

"Ah, yes," he replied. "From our lessons I have deduced that you want revenge on the young princess because of what she helped your mother do."

"Yes, how observant," Regina replied sarcastically. "And I remember you telling me I needed to move on from Daniel."

"So, you've given up trying to avenge him?" Rumple asked. He knew she hadn't.

"I have no idea what I could do," Regina admitted. "I've contemplating killing Snow and Leopold, but I wouldn't get away with it. Not at this point. No one is loyal to me yet. I'd never convince them I had nothing to do with the deaths."

"You've never been a patient woman," Rumple pointed out. "Are you willing to wait?"

"Were you going to issue a suggestion at some point?" Regina asked. "You started this conversation."

"What do you know of curses?" Rumple asked her.

"Only that they can achieve unfathomable things," Regina said. "And that they are tricky."

"Indeed they are," Rumple agreed.

"Are you suggesting I get my revenge with a curse?" Regina asked.

"Precisely," Rumple told her.

"Do you have one in mind?" Regina asked.

"Indeed!" he squealed. And then in his hand appeared the parchment that Aleera had written the curse. At the same time from miles and miles away at the Knights Tournament, Aleera all of a sudden felt a tug on her soul like she was being called out to. She was swept up into a vision and she saw everything that happened between Rumple and Regina in short bursts. But the most prominent image she saw was Regina taking a piece of parchment from Rumple, and Aleera recognized it. Regina had been given the curse.

"N-no!" Aleera spluttered. She hadn't meant to say it aloud but she'd been in her vision state and had lost control of herself.

"That wasn't Alastair who fell," Aleera heard Snow say next to her.

"What?" Aleera asked her.

"That man who just was struck down in the joust, that was another Knight," Snow clarified. "Wasn't that what you were reacting to?"

"…I guess so," Aleera lied. Snow found that answer satisfactory and went back to watching the match. Aleera tried to watch it too. She was here to support her fiancé. But she was terrified about what she had seen. What was worse is that she had no idea if what she'd just seen had already happened or it was going to happen. She needed to get to Regina. But she'd blow her cover if she went after her magically. And Alastair would be so disappointed if she missed the rest of the tournament.

She closed her eyes and tried to sense Regina. Their bonding over the last few weeks had given them a very strong connection. To anyone who looked at her at the moment they'd think she was just resting her eyes. She wouldn't lose control of herself in this vision. She honed in on Regina and saw her in her carriage on the move. Aleera tried to sense where the cursed parchment was, and located it in Regina's satchel. What she'd seen had already happened.

"It's Alastair's turn!" Snow squealed, bringing Aleera back. "He's been slated to fight the last jousting champion! If he wins then he is the victor of this entire sectional!" Snow gripped Aleera's hands and Aleera pretended to be on baited breath like she. She wanted to see Alastair compete. He'd received good marks for most of the day and Aleera was proud of him. But she needed to get to Regina. So she did the unforgiveable. When Alastair and the other knight were riding towards each other, Aleera sent a magical charge through the opponent and made him drop his jousting stick. When he was reaching to catch it before it hit the ground, he ran into Alastair and was struck down. Alastair had won the match.

Then Aleera caused a lightning storm to start. And the tournament had to be canceled for if the Knights stayed outside in their armor, they were sure to be struck down. The Knights were ushered into a tunnel under the seats and changed out of their armor so they wouldn't be targets. When Alastair emerged from the tunnel Aleera was on him immediately. She pulled him aside and took him somewhere away from all the people.

"Are you proud of me?" he asked her.

"Very," she told him honestly. But she had no time to relish with him.

"What is it?" he asked her seriously. He had learned over the years not to think anything that bothered her was any less than severe.

"She has it," Aleera said. "The curse."

"Where is she?" Alastair asked sternly. The last thing he wanted on this victorious day was to have to deal with the Queen. But he was loyal to King Leopold and he had to make sure he and the princess weren't in danger.

"On her way back," Aleera told him.

"We have to alert the rest of the guard," Alastair said. "With her powers it may take us all to subdue her."

"We don't need to do that," Aleera said startled. She wasn't used to this side of him. "I just need to talk to her. I'll come out with who I am and I'll convince her to give up the curse."

"You don't know that will work," Alastair argued. "I'm a Knight now, Aleera. I can't just let you take charge. This is a threat to the kingdom I'm sworn to protect. You don't get to do this on your own. I'm involving the guard."

"No!" Aleera fought him. "You could ruin everything for her if you do that. She'd be put to death if the King found out. There's no telling that she will cast it tonight. All I know is that she has it."

"I'm sorry, Aleera," Alastair said. "But I have no choice." He made to turn away from her and leave but Aleera couldn't let him do that.

"If you do this I won't marry you," she said to his back. He turned back around and stared at her stunned. She didn't want to be saying these things, but she was desperate. "It's the Kingdom or me."

"Please, Aleera," he begged.

"Just give me a chance," she told him. "Let me talk her down. If I don't succeed you can step in. I will help you subdue her. But don't condemn her before you know all the facts. She's already been through so much."

"Fine," Alastair conceded. "But if you don't do what you've just promised. I won't marry you either." They silently but hesitantly agreed. Neither of them wanted to be on these terms. They left the fairgrounds to lie in wait in Regina's chambers. But unbeknownst to Aleera, there was something that she hadn't seen in her visions of Rumple and Regina.

"How many ladies in waiting have you gone through?" Rumple asked as Regina was looking over the parchment.

"Not many," Regina said. "They just never stayed very long. Jane has been the most devoted. She's been with me for weeks."

"So Regina finally has a friend," Rumple teased. Regina looked up to scowl at him, and then she kept reading. "So, do you like my curse?" Rumple asked her hopefully. "You won't get any better revenge than freezing Snow White in eternal sorrow."

"What about Leopold?" Regina asked.

"I'd kill him if I were you," Rumple told her. "You wouldn't want to still be married to him in the new world."

"Right," Regina smirked. "This doesn't seem very complicated," Regina said after taking it all in.

"You think the Dark Curse looks easy?" Rumple said skeptically.

"I know of all these ingredients," Regina said. "They are easy to acquire."

"Even the heart?" Rumple asked.

"You know I'm no longer squeamish about ripping out hearts," Regina reminded him.

"Alright then," Rumple said. "I imagine after what happened to your true love you wouldn't want someone you love harmed."

"I think I know of one to use," Regina said.

"Not your dear Jane!" Rumple mocked.

"No," Regina rolled her eyes. Regina had her horse Rocinante in mind if she really used this curse. She hadn't decided. She didn't realize that the heart of someone she loved wasn't the love she had for a mere pet. "But I bet she'd give it up to me, she even offered to help me run away. She'd risk being put to death to free me."

"You really think she'd let you kill her?"

"Well," Regina thought about it honestly. "Probably not. And I wouldn't. She's like a sister to me." That made Rumple pause. Regina had an assistant named Jane, who felt like a sister? No, it couldn't be. Maybe it was a coincidence that this girl had the same name as Aleera's alias.

"How old is your adoring fan?" Rumple asked her.

"Nearly 19," Regina said. "I let her be free to watch her fiancé Alastair fight in the tournament instead of coming with me on this errand. Somehow I think she wouldn't be keen on being in your presence."

Rumplestiltskin hadn't heard from Aleera since the day her parents died. He knew she didn't want anything to do with him and he didn't need her anymore. He even let her be when he was incensed that her and Alastair's hair combined didn't produce a true love potion. He'd wanted to ream at her for being right that what he intended wouldn't work unless they gave up their hair willingly. But he'd chosen not to bother.

He never thought she'd ever find Regina. But then he remembered that his visions about Regina had told him that there would be a force working against him. He had just assumed it was the good in Regina he'd have to combat. Clearly he also had his daughter to deal with.

Regina rushed toward the castle doors when her carriage arrived. She wanted to get out of the storm. Her guards walked her up to her apartment and she bid them goodnight and went into her chambers. When she was alone she opened her satchel and took out the parchment with the curse written on it. She looked it over again and tried to decide her next course of action.

Would she cast it tonight? Could she fit in killing Leopold and retrieving the heart from Rocinante, all without her husband's knights overpowering her? She only had Rivers and Berkeley in her guard so far. Would they be enough? But before she could think about it Aleera came out of the shadows.

"Don't cast the curse," she said. Regina jumped and then turned to look at Aleera.

"Jane?" she asked. How on earth would Jane know what she was holding?

"My name is Aleera," Aleera admitted.

"What?" Regina replied stunned. She knew that name.

"I actually go by the name our mother picked for me," Aleera said. "Jane is just an alias."

"Oh my god," Regina said backing away. She finally saw what it was about this girl that was familiar. She'd simply missed it because Aleera was so kind and friendly. Aleera looked like Cora. Her lips and chin were different but Aleera had everything else. What had kept Regina from noticing that was that Aleera's smiles were different. They had something in them that Cora's didn't: real emotion. Also Aleera didn't have an evil bone in her body.

"You've been lying to me this whole time," Regina said. "…My mother has been lying to me. You didn't die at birth. You've been alive this whole time!"

"Yes," Aleera replied. "And I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I planned on revealing myself when we ran away together. But when I discovered my father had given you the curse I knew I had to change my plans."

"Your father?" Regina asked.

"Yes," Aleera said. "The man whose presence you just left. The man who made a deal with your mother that got him me as a price. I wouldn't speak his name if I were you. We wouldn't want him to drop in on us."

"Yes what a shame that would be?" said a voice on the balcony. Regina and Aleera jumped and looked for the voice. It was Rumplestiltskin. They didn't need to utter his name for him to sense them. He was expecting this.

"What is she talking about, Rumple?" Regina asked him. "How can you be her father?"

"Your mother and I had relations?" Rumple suggested. Regina felt bile rise up her throat.

"Why?" Regina asked.

"That's not important," Rumple said. "What's important is that you turn away this crazy girl and enact the curse."

"No, Regina don't!" Aleera said. "Don't listen to him!" Then at that moment Alastair came out of his hiding place and unsheathed his sword. Aleera stepped back and then quickly looked from Regina to Rumple and then back to her fiancé. "Alastair what are you doing?"

"You said if you couldn't convince her to give up the curse I would be able to subdue her," he told her. Regina looked at Aleera with a hurt expression.

"You were going to let him kill me!" she exclaimed.

"No!" Aleera tried to assure her. "I didn't want it to come to that. If you give up this curse none of this will have to happen."

"Why are you so against this curse?" Regina asked.

"Because it is evil!" Aleera told her. "It will leave an even bigger void in you than the one you already have because of Daniel."

"How do you know his name?" Regina asked. "I never told you."

"I know more about you than you've told me. I saw everything that lead up to you becoming Queen in a vision."

"You could have prevented his death?" Regina asked.

"What?" Aleera was shocked. "No, I saw it after it had happened."

"And you came into my life, to what?" Regina asked. "Stop me from casting the curse? How did you even know about it?"

"Because she created it!" Rumple cackled. Regina was completely shocked.

"Why would you create it if you are against it?" Regina asked her. Rumple went to answer for her but Aleera wouldn't let him. Regina deserved to learn everything from her.

"Because it was my destiny," Aleera said. "And it is your destiny to cast it. But it wasn't until I created the curse that I realized what it would entail. Please don't do it." Regina thought it over. In all honesty she hadn't been that inspired by the curse. She wanted out of this hell yes, but she liked Aleera's suggestion even more.

"Let's run away," she said to Aleera. She then summoned a fireball and destroyed the parchment.

"NO!" Rumple growled. And then at speed of light he was right behind Aleera and was restraining her. Alastair and Regina started forward to come to Aleera's defense but they stopped when Rumple spoke up. "Cast the curse or she dies!" he yelled. "I will help you acquire everything you need. I'll kill Leopold while you obtain a heart. I've got one right here!" He shook Aleera to show who he was referring to. He knew the sisters loved each other.

At that moment Regina's two-man guard and Horatio came barging in swords drawn. Rumple on reflex sent Alastair's sword flying from his hands and the sword impaled Horatio in the heart. Rumple didn't want anyone stopping him.

"No!" Aleera and Alastair cried. They saw Horatio fall and Regina's guards stumbled over him. Alastair was beside himself in rage and agony.

"I'll say it again! Cast the curse or I will kill her!" Rumple threatened.

"You can't harm Alastair or I!" Aleera said. "We are protected against you!"

"I can think of a way," Rumple said. He then dematerialized with Aleera. Then the rest of the King's guards came rushing in. Regina's guards picked themselves up and Alastair was kneeling by his father mourning him.

"It's safe, sire," One of the guards said as they looked around. Leopold then came in and looked around himself. Regina remained silent. What did they know?

"Who killed Horatio?" the King asked.

"The Dark One," Berkeley told him. Regina stiffened. They were supposed to be loyal to her. Were they going to reveal her to the King?

"What was he doing here?" Leopold asked. He looked to his wife. "Did you summon him for something?"

"Of course not!" Regina lied. "He was after my lady in waiting. They had business together."

"We had one of his spies in our castle?" One of the guards remarked. "Sire what shall we do?"

"Will they be coming back?" Leopold asked her.

"No," she said. "He was just retrieving her." She looked down at Alastair. He had contributed nothing to this conversation. He could reveal everything if he wanted. But for some reason he was remaining silent.

"Sire, what are your orders?" the guard repeated.

"I have none," Leopold said. "We'd be fools to go after the Dark One. The maiden he wanted knew full well the consequences of working with him. And if she didn't she should have. All we can hope is that he won't want anyone else. We mustn't let Snow know this has happened. She liked that girl."

"We will stand guard outside this room tonight," Rivers said. "In case he comes back."

"You might want more man power than that," one of Leopold's guards said. "One or two of us should stay behind as well. Maybe have one of us in the room all night."

"I'll stay here," Alastair said finally speaking up. He rose from his knees and summoned what composure he had.

"It would be understandable if you wanted relief from duty tonight," Leopold said. "You need to prepare for your father's funeral."

"The last thing my father would want is for me to abandon my post," Alastair said. "I will deal with the preparations in the morning."

"If you wish," Leopold said. And then he left. His guards not including Alastair lifted Horatio and carried him out to take him to a private chamber where he could await his funeral. Rivers and Berkeley closed the doors behind them and stood guard there. Now just Alastair and Regina were in the room. Alastair's demeanor changed immediately. He charged at Regina, but he only lifted a finger to her.

"Take me to them," He told her.

"What?" she asked startled.

"I know you have the power to transport yourself," he said. "Both Aleera and the Dark One do. Take me to them so I can save her."

"I'm still new to that power," she said. "I can't make guarantees."

"Well how about trying?" Alastair growled. "Do it, or I will tell the King everything."

"Only if you promise to never speak of it if I do succeed," she argued. Alastair bristled at that. His honor had him torn between being honest with the King and not condemning his fiancé's sister.

"Fine," he finally agreed. He was making a lot of agreements that night that he did not like. While all this had been going on, Aleera and Rumplestiltskin were having discussions of their own in the courtyard of his castle.

"You won't stop the curse from happening," Rumple growled. "I've foreseen it."

"The future can always change," Aleera said.

"Not this," Rumple argued. "It's set in stone."

"I won't give up," Aleera promised.

"Oh I have no doubt about that," Rumple said. "You get that from me."

"The only way you can stop me is by killing me," Aleera said. "And my protection spell won't allow that."

"There is another way to stop you," Rumple sneered. "This curse isn't the only thing that can be set in stone." And then before Aleera could react Rumple waved his hand and he turned her into a stone statue. He encased her in an immobile prison. She'd stand in his courtyard forever. Or at least until he decided there was nothing she could do to stop his plans. He'd foreseen a 10-year window in getting Regina to cast the curse. He'd just been impatient before. He could wait for Regina to warm up to the curse. When he had incapacitated Aleera, that is when Regina was finally able to transport herself and Alastair to where they were.

"Beast!" Alastair shouted lunging at him. He impaled him with his sword. But unlike with a human being, Rumple only felt the discomfort. He backed away from Alastair and slid off of the sword. He then healed himself so that he wouldn't continue to bleed. Regina stood back and watched everything happen. She also scanned around for Aleera.

"Killing me is going to take a lot more than that, dearie!" he told the Knight.

"Where's Aleera?" Alastair asked. Rumplestiltskin gestured to the statue behind him. Alastair and Regina followed his finger and stared at the statue and both were confused for a moment. But then they realized the art looked just like Aleera. "No!" Alastair cried. Regina just stood there stunned. Neither of them had expected this.

"You killed her!" Regina exclaimed. She was infuriated. That was her sister he'd done that to.

"No I didn't," Rumple said. "I can't remember? She's still alive in there."

"Let her go!" Alastair growled.

"I will one day," Rumple told him. "But for now, I need her out of my way." He then took a step toward Alastair and was close to where Alastair was still pointing the sword. "I'd like you out of the way too."

"You can't," Alastair reminded him.

"Aleera wasn't too careful of her wording," Rumple said. "She did make sure I couldn't kill her to get to you. But she first said, 'as long as I'm around.' And I don't see her fighting for you, do you?" He then flipped Alastair's sword and slit his throat with it.

Alastair fell to his knees and tried to pull his skin closed. Regina kneeled next to him and tried to figure out how she could help him. But after only a brief moment of struggling, his wound healed. He let go of his neck and realized he could breath properly. They looked up and saw Rumple's surprised expression. Rumple turned around to look at Aleera, and then smirked. She wasn't conscious enough to do anything, but she was still, "around." So Rumple had taught her to be careful of her words. Clever girl.

"You would best get moving dearie," he told Alastair. "I'm not offering you a ride back." He then spun around and left to go inside. Alastair got his bearings and Regina helped him stand. Alastair looked at Aleera. They had given each other ultimatums just an hour before. But this situation they were in had turned in ways neither of them expected. So were they still together or were they not? Even if they were, how would he free her?

"Let's go," Regina told him. She took his hand to smoke out.

"I have to save her," he said as tears fell down his face.

"I don't like this either," she told him. "But she's technically safe." Although Regina was trying to comfort Alastair, she had a desire to get back at Rumple some day in some way. She wasn't going to give up on the curse as her revenge; that was her best option now. But she would find a way. But she couldn't let slip to one of Leopold's guards that she had evil inside her. He already suspected her.

Meanwhile inside his castle, Rumple was distraught. Not because he was unable to kill that Knight. But because of what he'd had to do to his daughter. He'd hoped to leave her out of everything after she fulfilled her purpose. Despite all the horrible things Rumple had done he still loved his children. He just didn't know how. Why did Aleera have to go against him? They both wanted the same thing: Bae. He hated that everything had come to this. But he knew the sooner Regina cast the curse, the sooner Aleera could be free. He could not give up.

He had the curse memorized so he didn't need the copy Regina had destroyed. He realized that there was one thing he needed to do before he handed the curse over anyway. He had to make sure a savior was assigned to it. One day Snow White and her true love would willingly offer up their hair for a true love potion. One droplet on the curse would make their child the savior.


	8. Part 1 Ch 8

Regina and Alastair came back to the castle and were forced to continue the charade that Regina needed protection. Alastair stood fake watch at the balcony while Regina changed for bed. When she was in bed and winding down as best she could given what happened, Alastair sat on her settee to wait out the night.

"What will we tell the King?" Alastair deadpanned. He had promised Regina he wouldn't tell the truth so he was going against his responsibilities as the King's Knight. But he now did not care about anything.

"We will tell him we got through the night safely," Regina said. "I made it clear I was positive Rumplestiltskin wasn't coming back. And he won't."

"And are you going to go back to being his student?" Alastair asked. Regina didn't respond. She was no more fond of Rumple than Alastair was because of what happened. But she knew she needed to keep on good terms with the Dark One. There were still things she wanted from him. Revenge for Aleera included. But she couldn't let one of her husband's men know she was going to keep working with him. But it ended up not mattering when Alastair continued.

"Even if you were it wouldn't matter to me," he said slumping down trying to get comfortable. "I don't want to remain around here anymore. I'm resigning in the morning."

"Would your father want that?" Regina asked closing her eyes.

"No," Alastair said closing his eyes too and shifting. "But he's not really around anymore is he?" Alastair had given up.

Alastair stayed with the guard long enough for his father's funeral. They had a proper ceremony for a respected Knight. He was sent across the ocean with fiery arrows aimed at his raft to incinerate him. Alastair chose not to partake in that duty. He didn't have the heart to aim with precision. He left that night after the feast. To honor his father he had stayed to hear the stories the other Knights told about the great Horatio.

Sometime after Alastair had returned home, his Uncle Florian came to him with a proposition. Florian knew Alastair was lonely. Florian came up with the idea that Alastair wed a girl from his village named Hazel. She had the unfortunate situation that she was pregnant out of wedlock and the father had disappeared before they could marry. Florian suggested Alastair to marry her because of his sense of duty. He argued that Alastair couldn't let this girl become a pariah when she was innocent. And after what Alastair had gone through with his father, he couldn't let a child grow up fatherless. It was a dirty tactic on Florian's part to guilt Alastair. The father of this child was in fact his son, Damian. He was using Alastair so that his grandchild could still be considered his family. Although Alastair was suspicious, he did have enough honor left to do good by this girl. But he would always love Aleera.

After being married to the girl for 6 years however, Hazel turned out to not be so innocent. When Damian came back and proclaimed his love for her and their daughter Miranda, she took the child and ran off with him. She had no love for her husband. She never appreciated what he'd done for her because she had her heart set on Damian coming back. She also was not blind to Alastair's love clearly being elsewhere too. But Alastair loved little Miranda. He mourned the loss of her like she had died. He and Hazel had named her after Alastair's mother.

Regina did not keep in contact with Alastair when he left. She knew he didn't want anything to do with her. Over the years she continued to work with Rumplestiltskin. He helped her concoct a plan to get her husband and step-daughter killed. Although his suggestion for Snow White failed, Regina was too distracted with getting it right to get her revenge on him immediately. She would always walk past the real life statue of her sister and she'd feel pain and that need for revenge would strengthen. But she hadn't figured out how to get back at Rumple yet.

That was, until another woman came into his life. Her name was Belle. Regina discovered that Rumple was falling in love with this girl, and somehow the girl was falling in love with him. Rumple didn't deserve love. Regina was going to make sure he lost it.

Rumple had taken Belle as a price for a deal he had made with Sir Maurice. He had taken her because he was lonely. He foresaw nothing special about her. But she was a pretty face and would be pleasant to look at. But he learned that she was so much more than that. She was smart and lovely in more ways than just appearance. She didn't scare easily and she brought out a sweetness in him he hadn't felt since Baelfire had been a child. Belle tried to get to know Rumple. She wanted him to be good. She had that in common with his children. Both of whom she found out about and wanted to learn about.

"So, I've had a couple of months to look around, you know." Belle said to him one day. "And, uh, upstairs, there's, uh, clothing, small, as if for a-a child? Was it yours or... or was there a son?"

"There was," Rumple said. "There was a son. I lost him. As I did his mother."

"Did you have a daughter?" Belle asked. Rumple shuddered at the questions she was asking. He'd been especially dark since he had imprisoned Aleera. He wanted Regina to just accept the curse already so he could let Aleera go.

"What would make you think that?" Rumple asked not looking at her.

"It was just a hunch," Belle admitted. "In the bedroom you gave me, there are dolls in the wardrobe. I thought they would be displayed like your puppets, but it appeared you were hiding them."

"They were hers," Rumple finally said. "She was quite fond of them when she lived here."

"What was her name?" Belle asked.

"Was?" Rumple questioned her use of past tense.

"Did you lose her too?" Belle asked. "I just assumed. Did you lose your family all at once?"

"It's complicated," Rumple said.

So you-you were a man, once." Belle clarified. "An ordinary man." Rumple didn't commit anything. He wished he could tell Belle things. But since she'd stopped him from killing Robin Hood, he'd wanted her to like him.

"If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?" Belle continued to question him.

"Perhaps," Rumple answered.

When Regina had Belle in her possession, she made sure to make the stay unpleasant. She neglected her for all but a daily taunting. She'd wave food in front of her face and then take it away. When Belle slept she'd make her blanket slip off of her and fall out of her reach because of her chains. She did feed Belle, but meal times often "slipped her mind," so they wouldn't feed her sometimes. There were other ways she had her fun. She did get violent when she was really into it. But that was rare because she still hadn't decided if she wanted Belle to die or not.

She hired Claude as one of her guards because she knew he would enjoy mistreating Belle. Not that the rest of her men wouldn't, but some of them weren't quite as cruel as Regina would like. They were more loyal to their pay and her power than to her herself. One day when she was tormenting Belle, the girl got under her skin.

"What is the point of this?" Belle spluttered when Claude had punched her in the gut while she kneeled on the cold stone floor of her dungeon with her scabbed knees. When someone had come to bathe her she had tried to escape when they took off her cuffs and hadn't closed the door. Claude had stopped her and thrown her back in, hence the knees. "What did Rumple do to you?"

"That's not your concern," Regina said.

"Whatever it was you probably deserved it!" Belle inflicted. It was unlike her to be mean to anyone. But she didn't imagine she'd ever get out of her prison, so she let her mild ugly side come out with Regina. What she said caused Regina to signal to Claude to step back from Belle and Regina pulled Belle back by her hair.

"I did nothing to deserve what he did!" Regina bellowed. Belle was arching back and involuntary tears came from her eyes. She'd been holding them in before. Regina then let go and Claude came forward to pick up Belle and throw her down on her cot. She slammed into it and the frame slid from it's fixed position and brushed the wall. Belle was temporarily delirious from the fall but slowly came back.

"Then what made him harm you?" Belle asked looking up at her. Regina glared at her. Was this girl expecting her to open up to her? She looked down at this girl and saw that she still retained the hope that she could change the Dark One. Regina had off and on teased her about Rumple. Listing the many horrible things he'd done and she made up things he would have done to Belle. She decided to continue that tactic.

"Did he ever tell you about his daughter?" Regina asked smirking. Belle didn't respond. She wasn't going to give Regina anything. But Regina knew Belle was curious so she continued. "Did he tell you what he did to her?" Belle tried to hide her reactions. She had the impression that Rumple was pained over whatever happened to his daughter. She then scowled at Regina, she thought the Queen must have been trying to trick her.

"He wouldn't do anything to his daughter," Belle said. "He loved her."

"Loved her?" Regina mocked. "Would you turn someone you loved to stone?"

"What?" Belle said in spite of herself.

"Oh?" Regina reacted. "You mean you never noticed that lovely statue in his courtyard of a young woman? Did he tell you it was simply modeled after her? It IS her!"

"Then what happened to his wife and son?" Belle asked.

"His what?" Regina asked. Belle gulped. She had just given Regina something about Rumple. Regina smiled evilly and turned to leave. "Claude, take care of the useless oaf who she managed to fool. Then stand guard as usual."

"What are you going to do?" Belle called after her.

"Some research," Regina replied. And then she dematerialized when she was on the landing outside the room. Now that she had that specific information, she could use the genie in the mirror to look at those past scenes from Rumplestiltskin's life about his other family members. She'd see what she could squeeze out to use against him now if there was anything.

Rumple didn't have much time to mourn for Belle. He was angry at Regina for how she had taunted him about Belle's death, but he still needed her. He had rewritten the curse on a scroll and was waiting for Regina to be so desperate to finally succeed in destroying Snow White that she would not only take the curse, but give it up to Maleficent for the Sleeping Curse.

It was one of his most bizarre plans. He hadn't been able to get both samples of hair he needed for the true love potion when Regina was running out of ideas. But he knew from his visions that Regina would try to use the Sleeping Curse on Snow White before succumbing to the power of the Dark Curse. While the curse was in Maleficent's possession and Regina was distracted with getting the apple to Snow White, he would finally make the true love potion and get Maleficent to let him place a drop onto the scroll.

Rumple had dealings with Maleficent in the past. She had been around for quite a while. Not as long as him of course, but he'd had a front row seat to her decades spanning vendetta against a princess who's birthday she hadn't been invited to. Her grudge was born from something even sillier than Regina's grudge. She had recently gone after the daughter of that princess and she was imprisoned in the sleeping curse.

"What are you doing here!" Maleficent glared at Rumplestiltksin when he arrived. He came up to the steps that lead to her throne and he bowed politely. He loved to tease her. He knew how to get under her skin enough to drive her crazy but not enough to turn to her dragon form. He didn't like to see it that way, but he was not brave enough to go against her in that form. When he needed to put the rest of the true love potion inside her, he would have the shepherd prince do it.

"You have something I'd like back," he said. "Just for a moment," he giggled.

"She gave me the curse fair and square," Maleficent said stroking the orb on her staff where she kept it. "I won't let her get it back to cast it. You know why."

"It wasn't hers to give," Rumple said, running through the lines he had planned to get through this charade.

"You can't have it!" she shrieked. She was about to morph into her dragon form, when while distracted Rumple sent a wave of magic over to her and she fell asleep and fell back onto her throne. He chuckled at how simple that had been. As great a sorceress as Maleficent was, her opponents were usually lesser beings like the sleeping beauties. She had gone below par.

He skipped up the steps and took her staff from her. He magically removed the scroll from the orb and deflected the rebellion the staff tried to produce. He laid her staff next to her and opened the scroll. He pulled out the small baster from his pocket that held the drop of true love potion. He released it and it fell at the end of the last sentence of the writing. He then rolled it back up and put it back in the orb.

When he dematerialized Maleficent awoke. She jolted awake and looked around frantically for her staff. She found it lying next to her throne and she quickly picked it up to inspect it. The scroll was still inside the orb. She didn't know what Rumple had done. But she suspected he had some intricate plan afoot. Regardless of what it was, she was going to do what she could to convince Regina not to take it back and use it.

When Regina had been banished and prevented from being able to kill Snow White and Prince Charming because of Rumplestiltskin, he knew it was time to step in. He arrived unexpected in her chambers and he played with her. He revealed to her the flaw in his protection curse for the Charmings and spelled out everything for her.

"Told you I was your friend," Rumple smiled. And then he smoked out.

"Father?" Regina called out. Henry came out of his hiding place to assist her. "Bring my carriage," she requested. "I have a wedding to get to." First she would make her threat. Next, she would go retrieve the curse back from Maleficent and proceed to procure everything she needed for the curse. Later she would use the information she received about Rumple's past to con Killian "Hook" Jones into killing her mother. She would claim that Hook allowing this curse to take place would make killing Rumplestiltskin effortless because he would be without power. She left out the truth of it which was that he wouldn't remember.

It took Regina Snow White's entire pregnancy to achieve her plan. While she was working diligently on finally winning, Rumplestiltskin was working on his plan to get himself incarcerated. He made a deal with a maid known as Cinderella to get her to a ball where she'd meet her true love, Prince Thomas.

Ella became pregnant around the same time as Snow White, and her baby became the price for the deal. With that payment looming for Ella, she along with her husband, Prince Charming, and Grumpy the dwarf prepared to stop Rumplestiltskin and imprison him once and for all. That was exactly what Rumple wanted. When he received a message from Ella that she wanted to speak, he knew the time had come. So he did what he'd been waiting to do for 10 years.

"It's time to wake up my daughter," he said to the statue of Aleera. Now that there was nothing Aleera could do to stop Regina, she could finally be free. Rumple was going to use her one last time. He was going to have her finish up some work of his while he was busy with the royals and put in prison. He summoned the magic he'd been waiting to use to free her.

When the stone melted away and she was free of her constrictions she fell from her frozen stance and landed on her knees and hands. She gasped and breathed in like she had been suffocated until that moment. She looked up at Rumple and was confused. She then became more aware of her surroundings and saw that her father was not wearing what she had remembered from what felt like mere seconds ago.

"How…" she stammered. "How long was I frozen?"

"Long enough," he told her. "Get up, dearie. There's work to be done."

**The rest of this story might have shorter chapters than it previously has had. They will probably average at around this length. I hope that will make my story easier to read. Please don't be afraid to write reviews. I apologize now for this chapter being low on dialogue, and for the overall depressing tone this story has at times. Please stick with me. **


	9. Part 1 Ch 9

"How long?" Aleera asked again. She got up from her knees and looked her father in the eyes. "I have a right to know what time I'm in."

"It's been ten years," Rumple answered nonchalantly. Aleera did some heavy breathing. That was a considerable amount of time to be frozen. She reached up and felt her face and hair. She was the same age she'd been then. She was 18 when she should be 28. Then she remembered Alastair. He certainly would have aged. He would have had no choice but to move on with his life. Who knew what he could be up to now.

"Don't waste time thinking about it," Rumple suggested. "You'll get used to not aging soon enough."

"Is the curse about to come?" Aleera asked.

"Yes, right on cue," Rumple replied.

"How did you finally convince her?" Aleera asked.

"It wasn't hard," Rumple told her. "She's quite changed from when you knew her."

"You're a monster," Aleera seethed.

"So what else is new?" Rumple scoffed. Then he tried to quicken the conversation. "To answer what I'm sure is your next question: your true love is married with a little girl. He's not your concern anymore. And don't worry, I've left him alone." Aleera swallowed as she took in the information. At least he was alive. After the uneasy terms they'd been on before her disappearance, she couldn't expect him to still be hers.

"Why'd you bother waking me up?" she asked.

"You have some chores to do," Rumple told her.

"Chores?" she asked.

"As part of my plan," he explained. "I have to be positioned in strict confines. Tonight I'm off to play an unsuspecting creature that will be tricked into imprisonment."

"And you are doing this why?" she asked. But she knew as strange as it was, it was probably genius.

"To be in the right place at the right time," Rumple simply stated with a flourish. "But I won't be going peacefully."

"Oh goodie," Aleera said sarcastically. "Why do I have a feeling I'm going to have to do something underhanded."

"I need you to kidnap a Prince and hold onto him until it's too late," Rumple told her.

"Oh sure, easy!" Aleera scoffed.

"I think you can take him," Rumple assured her.

"Anything else?" Aleera asked. She didn't really want to know.

"Some preparations to enable the Savior to break the curse," Rumple continued listing her tasks.

"Like what?' she asked. Rumple then appeared a blank wide paged book in his hands. He held it out to Aleera. She took it, a bit confused.

"You were getting quite adept at seeing people's lives through your inner eye when you frolicked," he said. "Now you just need to pick that hobby back up and fill this book with the stories of everyone so that the Savior can reference it."

"You've got to be kidding me," Aleera blanched. "I don't know anything about how the world is now. How would I even know what stories were important?"

"I think you can convince someone to help you," he told her. "She's been very concerned about you since you disappeared."

"Who, Snow?" Aleera asked. Rumple rolled his eyes and gave her a frustrated expression.

"The Blue Fairy!" he growled.

"Well, that was obvious!" Aleera said sarcastically, equally frustrated. "Why would she do something you wanted her to do?"

"Uh, many people have done things for me when they didn't want to," Rumple giggled. "No, she will see this task as helpful to her cause. She will help you because she knows you don't want this curse happening any more than she does. As long as she doesn't know you are working with me you will be able to convince her to do it."

"And you can't do this by yourself why?" Aleera asked. She often piqued at Rumple's insistence on making other people do things he could easily have done.

"I'd be biased," he told her. "We need the Savior to have happy thoughts!" he twittered. "Now, I hope you weren't planning any detours?" Rumple asked.

"Like what?" Aleera asked.

"Your sister is beyond swaying," he told her.

"I figured as much, since the curse is imminent." Aleera replied. She could feel the dark magic in the air. "But that doesn't mean I can't go see her."

"It means exactly that," Rumple countered. "You cannot go to your sister. You can't contact her through any other form or party. You cannot even look at her until we have gone to the new world and the Savior has arrived."

"What do I get out of this deal?" Aleera asked.

"Your freedom," he told her. "You will never be incased in your stone prison again. You can be free to live your life, with no interference from me. You will not be bound to any duties concerning me."

"Except when it's time to find Bae," Aleera clarified. "You will include me."

"Sure, why not." Rumple shrugged. "But, if you try to have that pesky dream of yours to have both, and go to your sister, you will spend eternity in stone." He then appeared a map in his hands and showed it to her.

"Now what?" she asked annoyed.

"I will be here," Rumple said pointing to the map. "This is where I will distract the Princess and her friends. For some reason the Prince will head toward this spot," he said pointing to a picture of a well. "That is when you pounce and take him away." He rolled up the map and gave it to her. "Don't be late," he said his final words to her. Then he dematerialized.

Aleera sensed where her father went and plotted her appearance a distance away from him to the west. She appeared right next to the well and from there she hid in a small expanse of trees where she could see what was going on with her father and the Princess he mentioned. She saw her father play along. She knew nothing they were doing was shocking him. He signed a deal and then he was incased in a blue film and some other men came running when the Princess called out the name Thomas.

Shortly after Rumple had been carted over to a holding cell on a carriage the Princess and who Aleera assumed was her husband sat on a bench together. The Princess seemed to be feeling discomfort from her baby and that caused the Prince to go around the bend and head straight to where Aleera was hiding. He was definitely the mark.

Thomas got to the well and began to retrieve the bucket to get a dipper of water. It was time for Aleera to make her move. She ran behind him into more brush across the path the Prince had come down. He was alerted to her by the scuffling and breaking of twigs. He turned in the direction of where she had previously been hiding. She came up behind him from the other direction and hit him on the head with a thick branch that had fallen from a nearby tree. When he was knocked out Aleera unfastened his cloak and left it on the well to make the Princess think he'd been torn away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear when she kneeled next to him. She then touched his shoulder and dematerialized with him. She appeared with him in a dungeon cell of Rumple's castle. She chained the Prince's wrists and proceeded to wake him up. When he came to he was disoriented, but then his shock at his change of location, the sight of a strange girl, and then realizing he was bound made him angry.

"Who are you and what have you done!" he bellowed. He aimed a kick at her and she jumped back. He continued to struggle but found it hopeless.

"I don't want to hurt you," she told him from the wall.

"Oh really, then why are you doing this?" he asked. He had enough length of chain to maneuver himself up and get onto the cot. Aleera had just planned to leave him in here as her father probably wanted. She would appear food in the cell 3 times a day and his chamber pot would magically empty every few hours. But she didn't like this any more than he did. So she decided to level with him.

"There's a curse coming," she told him.

"The one Queen Regina is casting," Thomas stated.

"Yes," she replied. "It is coming and it can't be stopped."

"Then why imprison me now when I'm about to be trapped in another one?"

"Rumplestiltskin is using you and your wife so he can get to someone he needs to talk to."

"Who?" he asked.

"He didn't say," Aleera admitted. She was very in the dark about what was going on.

"Do you even know why I have to be imprisoned?" Thomas asked her leaning towards her with his eyebrow perked.

"No, now that you mention it," Aleera replied honestly, folding her arms. She'd wished her father had given her more information. "But for his grand master plan many steps have to be taken. This all makes sense, I just don't know how."

"You're just a traditional henchmen," Thomas mocked. "A little too petite and adorable to be threatening, but just as willing to blindly follow the madman you work for."

"I don't have a choice," Aleera said. She decided to really inform him of why things were happening. "This curse will take us to the land where my brother is kept. I don't like what these innocent people will have to go through to get me there but I'm bound by Rumplestiltskin not to interfere with the curse happening."

"If you let me go I could do it for you?" Thomas suggested.

"My father planned for every contingency. There's nothing that can be done," she told him.

"Your father?" he asked. Then he was revolted. "You are the Dark One's daughter! Dear Gods!" And with that Aleera stormed out of the room. She felt bad enough doing all of this. But she had other things she had to get to.

"Hey!" the Prince shouted when she was leaving. "You aren't seriously going to keep me here? Release me!" But Aleera was out of the room and locking the door closed. Doing her father's bidding like this probably made her evil. But she couldn't think about that now. She exited the castle to retrieve the blank book she'd left near her former perch as a statue. She picked it up and smoked out. She arrived in a part of the woods where the sky was clearest so she could make a wish on the blue star.

"Please, I want to help the Savior," she said in her mind. "I wish to help the fairies prepare. I have a way." While she was making this wish she tried to banish all other thoughts from her head. Thoughts about her father being involved and her worries that she was evil by association. But those thoughts were still at the back of her mind, and the Blue Fairy would certainly sense them.

While Aleera was wishing, she felt a presence come up behind her. But before she could turn around the being behind her sent a strong magic blow her way and knocked her forward onto her stomach on top of the book. She took a moment to get her bearings and she rolled over to see what had happened. She looked up at a fairy that was not Blue. She saw it was a young fairy in a golden yellow dress. Her hair was blonde and her face was furious. It was Liza, all grown up. She had become a fairy like The Blue Fairy said she would.

"Liza?" Aleera said. She began to step up but then Liza forced her back down. "Oomph!" Aleera reacted. "What was that for?"

"Do you think we are stupid?" Liza asked her. Her voice was different because she had grown up, but her old angry tone Aleera knew well was still there. "We know you are working with your father! You don't want to help. You want this for your own selfish ends!"

"This will help you! I promise!" Aleera tried to assure her. "In this book we can document the stories of the crucial people to Snow White and Queen Regina. We can make this book travel to the new world with us and the Savior can come across it and use it to help break the curse! Yes my father wants this to happen but it is because he wants the curse broken."

"Then why does he even want it cast?" Liza questioned. She didn't believe anything Aleera was saying. She didn't want to.

"To find his son," said a voice from above both of them. The Blue Fairy flew into view.

"And so she can find her brother," Liza said jabbing at Aleera who had finally stood up. "We are losing everything, I am losing everything, because of her. Again!" Liza began to summon up the same painful magic she'd used on Aleera before, but the Blue Fairy stopped her.

"No, Liza," she reprimanded the young fairy. "We will help her create the book."

"And once again she gets away with hurting people," Liza muttered. She was referring to the loss of their parents.

"I wish I could go back and change that," Aleera told her. "But I can't. But rest assured I will never forgive myself either. If there is a suitable punishment that can be granted me for this I will take it willingly."

"There is one," the Blue Fairy said. Both sisters looked at Blue in surprise. "Not for what happened to your parents, but one for the curse."

"What is that?" Aleera asked. "My happy ending has already been taken from me. What do I have to lose?"

"Nothing," Blue said. "But that is your punishment. Because you went against your own conscience in creating this curse and allowing it to happen, you won't lose your memories like the rest of us. You will be forced to live out the curse knowing what you lost and what you have done, and you will be tortured by juggling the real you and your counterpart."

"Is this a punishment you have assigned?" Aleera asked. She wasn't going to argue she didn't deserve it, but she wanted to know if what her father said was true about fairies not being as good as they want people to believe.

"It is the price of magic for this," she told her. "I'm sure your father is aware of it. He may know what his punishment will be, but we are not sure." Aleera nodded and accepted that. Her father would be powerless and crippled in human form. That was probably the punishment.

"The curse could be coming any day now," Aleera said. She opened the book and looked up at the Blue Fairy. "Let's get started."

Aleera kneeled on the ground and had the book open in front of her. She placed her hands on either end of the book and held onto the front and back cover. The Blue Fairy hovered over her with her wand in hand. Aleera would use her vision powers to map out the book. She focused on Regina and Snow. The Blue Fairy used her wand to focus all the images and organize them.

It was all a jumble and it came lightning fast. Aleera had to factor in that Snow White and Regina had grown and changed in behaviors since she knew them, and even still she couldn't understand any of the visions coming to her. But the Blue Fairy was able to focus them for she knew them all. But she needed Aleera's power to get the deep insight into Rumplestiltskin.

Aleera lost track of time and couldn't tell how long it took them to make the book. But when it was over she fell back and could barely breath. She also had a nosebleed and splitting head pain. The Blue Fairy came down to her and healed her. But the jarring sensation remained. She enveloped Aleera in a white light and sent her to her room in Rumplestiltskin's castle.

"Shouldn't we imprison her?" Liza asked Blue when Aleera was gone.

"She's been imprisoned long enough," Blue said. "And we are all about to enter another one." The two fairies took the storybook with them when they left. But not before the Blue Fairy magically inscribed the front of the book, "Once Upon a Time."

Aleera woke up the next morning, with only a faint memory of coming back to the castle. She lay in bed for a while trying to feel better. She hadn't used this power in years, and never at that magnitude. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to use that power again. Not that it mattered. She was about to go to a land without magic. She'd be powerless. Not that it would be a hard transition for her. She spent 11 years not using her powers when Dora and Roderick raised her. She'd actually be glad of it. She didn't fear her punishment in the new world. But she knew that there was one last thing she wanted to do before going to the new world. She wanted to see Alastair.

She wouldn't impose much. She knew he had a life and a family. But she wanted to at least see him. Maybe warn him about the curse coming if he didn't already know. So once she bathed, dressed, had breakfast, and fed Prince Thomas, she left to go to Alastair. She sensed that he still lived in his father's house. She arrived on the border of the forest surrounding his land. She looked around and saw him in the gated part of the land, once again oiling that fence.

She couldn't surprise him the way she used to when they were romantically paired. This was a husband and a father. So she walked to him from the woods and came into his view before speaking. She stood 5 feet from the gate and waited for him to look up. He was bent down lubricating the gate's hinges. She looked at what she could see. He was taller but he was still lean. He didn't shave every day and his hair was long enough to be in a ponytail. Aleera looked down at his hands and saw no ring on his finger.

"Hello," Aleera finally announced herself. She wished there was some better thing to say to him after being gone for 10 years. But their interaction was going to be tense enough. Aleera didn't know what to expect. He might be angry that she dared come back to him. He might be insulted that she would think he still wanted her. Alastair stopped what he was doing and shook his head as if a fly had flown into his ear. Did he think he imagined it?

"Alastair, I'm here, I'm really here," Aleera assured him. Alastair continued to look down and gripped the gate tightly. He thought he'd finally gone insane. He squeezed his eyes shut and his lips winced. Aleera stepped forward and held his face in her hands. He wouldn't think he imagined the feel of her. Alastair finally tilted his head up and slowly opened his eyes. He saw her. Tears came down his eyes and he was speechless with his mouth gaping.

"I just wanted you to know I was free," she said. "I wanted to warn you and your family that my sister's curse was coming. I don't mean any disrespect to your wife. I had no expectations. I just wanted to see you one last time." Alastair then pulled away, ripped open the gate, seized Aleera in his arms, and he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"But…" Aleera said one word in between kisses. "Your…wife?" He continued to kiss her and then finally spoke.

"She left me," he told her. His voice was slightly deeper than it had been 10 years ago.

"And your child?" she asked.

"My step-daughter," he said. "She left with her."

"Why?" Aleera asked.

"Because in my heart," he explained. "I never stopped being engaged to you." Aleera couldn't believe what she was hearing. He had held onto his love for her for 10 years.

"I would have understood if you moved on," she said.

"Would you have moved on if you were in my place?" he asked, somewhat concerned.

"I'd go kicking and screaming," Aleera laughed. They laughed together and kissed again. He then bent down on one knee and pulled a necklace chain out from under his collar. It had a ring on it.

"I planned to give this to you soon after we'd been allowed to come out with our engagement," he said. "My wife got the wedding band, but in the short time we have, could your engagement ring count for both?"

"You want to get married now?" she asked incredulously. "We are going to be ripped from each other any minute!"

"But when the curse breaks," he said. "I don't want to wait one second after that to get married to you."

"Whom will we find who could marry us at a time like this?" she asked as he rose and put the ring on her finger.

"Well, alright perhaps we won't be really married when we wake up," he said. "But we can be married enough." He then took her hands in his and made up his vows. "I Alastair, take thee Aleera to be my wife. We do not have the law, but we have love. I promise thee that nothing, not even a curse, will keep us apart forever." Aleera smiled at him and giggled.

"Now," Alastair said. "Your turn. Repeat." After she quoted his vows verbatim, they kissed and proceeded to their marriage bed.

They spent two days in bed and mused about what they planned to do when the curse broke. Alastair wanted many children. He jested that it was good she was still so young; they would have plenty of time. Aleera laughed with him and agreed to everything. But she didn't take much of it seriously. Who knew what they would be like from the curse and what they would want after being frozen for who knew how long. The afternoon of the second day they finally left the bed and did other things. They made themselves proper meals of more than just strawberries, chocolate, and wine. And they enjoyed the outdoors.

That night, it happened. They were racing each other in the pasture around the house, when they saw it in the sky. Aleera had gotten ahead of Alastair for a short length and stopped when she saw dark clouds with green lightning blanketing the sky coming right toward them. Alastair came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her up a moment and then put her down when he looked up and saw what she saw.

"It's coming!" Aleera exclaimed. She turned and embraced Alastair. They clung to each other and watched the curse envelope. "Maybe we will land in the same place!" Aleera said over the rumbling, in reference to how close they were to each other.

"Whatever happens," Alastair said in her ear. "I love you."

"I love you too," she told him. And then, they were engulfed, and where they ended up was beyond what either of them could have imagined.

**It might be up to a week and a half by the time I publish my next chapter. Perhaps 2 weeks. The next chapter will start Part 2: Storybrooke. I thank everyone who has been along for the ride. Please leave me comments, I'd love to hear from you. **


	10. Part 2 Ch 1

"Jess, Jess! Wake up! He's coming!" a girl said while shaking Aleera awake. Aleera opened her eyes and saw a girl around her age kneeling over her. She was lying on a hard wood floor in a room with bright lights and mirrors on the walls. Aleera was utterly confused. Where was she? Who was this? What did that girl call her? But then it all came with a flash.

Aleera was Jessica Jane Duncan, daughter of Robert and Elise Duncan. They had been in charge of Storybrooke's theater productions. They had died a few months ago when they'd left to go perform a duo act on an Alaskan cruise ship. They had crashed their car on the exit from Storybrooke when they'd been leaving to go to Boston to fly out. Jessica had been living by herself in their house living off what they'd left her. She'd been allowed to live on her own because she was 18.

"If Geoff catches us sleeping when we are supposed to be wide awake and stretching…" the girl trailed off. Aleera's false memories told her the girl was named Audrey. "He might make us run."

Aleera was still a bit disoriented. But Jessica was not. She was just sleepy. Aleera felt Jessica take over and respond. "Yeah and then bitch at us about how running long distances isn't good for dancers. What a hypocrite."

Aleera sat up and looked around to see other girls and two guys standing around. They were waiting for their dance instructor to get there. They did yoga in the mornings and had dance practice after school. Jessica's memories told Aleera that she, Audrey, and their friend Tina had taken to getting a little more shut-eye when Geoff hadn't arrived yet. He made everyone get up at the crack of dawn but he didn't roll in until the sun had come out.

When the door to the studio burst open everyone jumped. Jessica and Audrey were so startled that they didn't get up. But then in walked Geoff who stormed right toward them. Jessica panned her eyes from his feet to his face, and Aleera saw that it was Alastair. Aleera couldn't believe her eyes, but Jessica made her put on a guilty expression and wince up at her dance, gymnastics, and karate instructor.

"Floor comfortable?" Geoffrey Lang asked his most difficult student.

"No sir," Jessica said.

"Then why don't you get up?" Geoff asked her tilting his head to the left.

"Yes sir," Jessica and Audrey said in unison. They both awkwardly got up and stood at attention in front of their teacher.

"Clearly we need to get your blood pumping," Geoffrey said to the class. "Let's go run around the square." Everyone groaned and some of them glared at Jessica. Audrey went to put her shoes back on and Jessica followed. They put on their tennis shoes and filed out the door with the rest of the class.

Aleera felt like her movements and words were not her own. But she was afraid to overpower Jessica, because Aleera had no idea what to do or say. So she let Jessica hold the reigns and she would see how everything would go. Jessica and Geoff were the last to leave the studio. Geoff was holding the door open for everyone and he lightly grabbed Jessica by the arm and whispered to her.

"You were great last night," he said. Aleera was confused, but Jessica's heart rose. Geoff slapped her on the butt and ushered her out. "Let's have Jessica lead the group!" he called out to everyone. No one had seen what he'd done. Aleera tried to remember the night before. It was difficult because that night didn't actually happen; it was the curse that made them think time hadn't just started. But she tried to remember last night and then it hit her.

Jessica and Geoff were having an affair. He had come to her house that night and they'd had a sexual romp. They'd been having sex in secret off and on since her parents died. The first night had been when the Sherriff interrupted karate class to tell her the news of her parents' accident. Geoff had spent the night at her house so she wouldn't be alone. It had happened then. They'd had to keep it a secret because even though she was a legal adult, she was his student. Also Jessica had suspicions that Geoff was still in love with his ex-wife, Jade.

Jessica went to the head of the group and started off at a jog. The group went at her pace behind her. Once they were all running, Jessica got lost in the crowd a bit. She was in the center of the group and could barely be seen, as she was one of the shorter people in the class. Because her classmates hid her she couldn't see anyone else on the street. So conveniently she was not able to see the Mayor strolling on the other side of the street. The mayor could not see her either, and only slightly acknowledged the group of teenagers running down the street. Something in her made her not want to turn her head in their direction. She didn't even question why. But it was Rumplestiltskin's deal.

Rumple's deal with Aleera made it so Regina and Aleera could not come across each other. The deal's purpose was so that Aleera wouldn't try to stop Regina from casting the curse. But Rumple had added that the deal would not break until the Savior came to town. So despite the damage being done, the deal still stood that Aleera could not reunite with her sister. Regina didn't even know Aleera had been freed from her stone prison.

When the run and yoga session completed, Jessica and her classmates had to rush to make it to school on time. Jess, Audrey, and Tina had also mutually gotten in the habit of putting their uniforms on over their leotards and tights. They would pull up woolen socks over the tights for more warmth and at lunchtime they would go to the bathroom to finally take off their leotards because they had time then. Of course in order for that system to work, they would have to hope they didn't have to go to the bathroom before that, because getting around their leotards would be annoying.

Jessica, Tina, and Audrey had to once again run, to get to school on time. Tina and Audrey were faster and Jessica was pulling up the rear. When they got to the curb in front of the school Jessica stumbled a bit. She luckily maintained her balance and did not scab her knees and drop all her stuff, but she nearly made herself even later.

"Careful, Miss Duncan," said a voice off to the side of the sidewalk. Jessica while trying to recover herself looked up and saw a woman with short dark hair in nun-level modest attire. She had a dreamlike gleam to her eye and a warm smile that Aleera found familiar. She was also very fair skinned.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Blanchard," Jessica said in spite of Aleera's confusion. Then Jessica picked up her run again and climbed the stone steps. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Aleera thought, but her thoughts came out like Jessica would think. "That's Snow White!"

Aleera felt like she was watching her life instead of experiencing it. She felt like she and Jessica weren't in time with each other. Jessica got to make her moves first. Aleera didn't even get a chance to contemplate doing anything before Jessica would make her do things. Aleera felt like she was fighting Jessica, who seemed to have much faster reflexes. Aleera was a slave to Jessica. She needed her to survive. She was a prisoner in her own mind. She was no better off than anyone else in Storybrooke despite having her memories still.

After school let out, Jessica had to go right back to the studio for dance. Mondays and Wednesdays were for dance. Tuesdays were for gymnastics. Thursdays were for karate. Friday's she had free. Not that it mattered. She would be reliving the same day for the next 28 years. Every day it would be her fault the yoga class had to go for a run, Geoffrey would compliment her on the night she'd had with him, she would have the same brief conversation with Miss Blanchard, and she would learn the same things in school every day. But there was one thing about the days repeating that she did not mind. Every night Jessica would go to Geoffrey's house for a booty call. It wasn't necessarily the sex she looked forward too, at least not entirely. Aleera got to spend time with Alastair. At least what part of him was in Geoffrey.

Regina was also tortured by repeating the same day every day. She did everything she could to change things up a bit. The only changes she did not like were the stir the strangers in town created. But the boy stranger was starting to grow on her. But after having the same experiences and same interactions for a week, Regina was fed up. She went to Rumplestiltskin to fix things, but he only had Mr. Gold's memories.

"I'm sorry, what exactly is it you want?" Mr. Gold asked her to end Regina's baffling rant.

"Nothing you can give me," she told him. She started to storm off, but then she thought of one more thing. Mr. Gold might not remember his true self, but with all the Enchanted Forest relics around his shop, perhaps he had Aleera's frozen form in the back.

"Perhaps I am remembering it wrong," she started to say. "But I seem to remember you had in your possession, a stone statue of a young woman?"

"Did I?" he asked confused. "I remember selling you a gnome made out of stone, but I don't remember a young woman statue."

"You're sure?" Regina asked.

"I think so," he told her. "But if you are interested I can keep an eye out for one?"

"Not necessary," Regina said giving up. Apparently Aleera's statue hadn't made it over. She had no idea of the deal that kept her and her sister apart, so she would have no idea her sister was alive and well. She turned back around and left, holding Owen's keychain up to her face and getting an idea of how to change things around Storybrooke.

After a few weeks of repeating the same day, where Aleera's only solace came in her nights with Alastair, Jessica's schedule changed seriously. She was walking through the woods after sneaking out the back of Geoffrey's house when her pattern was broken. Someone came out of the shadows and grabbed her. He wrapped his arms around her like a boa constrictor and she couldn't get free. But she still struggled.

"Geoffrey?" she gasped. Who else would be around here?

"Guess again," the gruff voice said. And then he pressed a cloth to her face and suffocated her with chloroform.

When Jessica awoke she was in an unfamiliar room, bound to a chair. She looked around and was blinded by a desk light shining in her face. She saw that there was a person in the shadows, but she couldn't identify him.

"Who are you?" Jessica whimpered, absolutely panicked. "Where am I?"

"Somewhere you will never escape," the man said. And then he stepped into the light. "Until you get it to work." Jessica breath hitched in fear, but Aleera wasn't scared. She knew who this man was. He was a portal jumper her father had worked with. They had never formally met, but she would walk in on dealings he had with Rumplestiltskin when she was living at the castle. Finally a situation in this world had come up where Aleera's knowledge would be more useful than Jessica's, so Aleera was finally able to take over.

"Get what to work?" she asked. She heard Jessica screaming in her head that this man wanted Aleera to cure him of his erectile dysfunction. But Aleera looked around and saw numerous top hats lying around.

"Don't play games, Aleera," he said. "I know you remember. Your father said you would." Aleera stopped playing dumb at that moment.

"How did he know back then?" she asked.

"That's not my problem," he said. "My problem is that I'm stuck here. In a land I don't know with conflicting memories, and my former neighbors are raising my daughter and she believes they are her parents. That's why I called upon you."

"I don't think kidnapping counts as calling upon," Aleera said fighting the ropes that bound her. Jefferson came over and untied her. But before she could get up he pulled a gun out from his waistband and aimed it at her.

"You are going to make me a portal," he said.

"Are you nuts?" Aleera asked him. But then he cocked the gun and she shrunk away from him. "I can't do it."

"Yes you can," he tried to assure her. "You have magic."

"No I don't," Aleera said.

"Of course you do!" Jefferson yelled, and then he pulled her head back by her hair and balanced the gun on the corner of her mouth. "You are the Dark One's daughter! You created this damned curse! If anyone can make a portal hat you can!" He then let go of her and he cat walked around the table that was in front of her and pushed fabric and hat making tools from the side of the table to right in front of her. He continued to aim the gun at her.

"If I could make a portal hat I would have done that instead of making the "damned" curse," Aleera tried to convince him.

"No hat can take us to the world we are in," Jefferson reasoned with her. "But I don't need to get here. I need to get back to our land."

"Your hat couldn't get us here because this land has no magic," Aleera reasoned back. "And since there's no magic here I can't use it to get back." Jefferson lowered the gun and slumped into the armchair behind him. He started to cry, and through his tears he said. "I will never be able to get home."

"I know it's hard," Aleera said, getting up and cautiously walking over to him. "But in 28 years the Savior will be here. And with her the curse will break."

"And magic will come back?" he asked looking up at her.

"Possibly," Aleera told him. "But I can't promise anything."

"It will come back," Jefferson stated. He had faith. Faith was all he had to be able to stand the next 28 years. He walked over to the door and opened it. "You can go now." Aleera headed for the door. And once in the doorway she stopped.

"If you need company," she said. "You can always come to me. I'm tortured remembering everything too. Misery loves company."

"You looked like you weren't very miserable tonight," Jefferson said, gesturing to a telescope aimed through the window. Aleera looked through it and saw it aimed at Geoffrey's house. She picked her head back up and turned back to Jefferson.

"That doesn't mean I'm not miserable," she said. She reached up and caressed his face, and then she left. Jefferson watched her leave and felt the slightest up beat in his mood. He wouldn't have to be alone.


	11. Part 2 Ch 2

Not much changed in Storybrooke unless Aleera made changes happen. To keep a grip on her sanity she played around with things. When she'd spend her nights with Geoffrey she'd change things up with what kind of sex they had. Jessica had memories of acting in a musical with Geoffrey, so they often roleplayed scenes from movies. She befriended people she had no connections with. She often palled around with Ruby when she came into the diner for dinner. And her friendship with Jefferson did not go unnoticed.

In fact, it helped distract people from her relationship with Alastair. No one figured that one out. Ruby often teased Jessica about her man friend. But she was under the impression it was Jefferson that Jessica was having the relations with. Jefferson was not a fan of that. But he was grateful enough for their friendship that he played the beard to protect Aleera and Alastair from being found out. Or rather, Jessica and Geoffrey. Besides, Jefferson and Geoffrey's names were so similar, Aleera could refer to both of them as, "Jeff," when talking to Ruby, and she had no idea they were two different people.

"Jess, hurry up!" Tina called back to Jessica when she was following after Tina and Audrey to get to class on time. Jessica didn't have Aleera's speed, which greatly frustrated her. She hoped that even though she was frozen in age she could build up Jessica's muscles and become faster. But that wouldn't happen until time started moving forward.

Jessica did as she usually did when they were close to the corner they needed to turn to get to the school; she picked up speed and was nearly flanking Audrey. But that day, something different occurred. Regina had parked her car on the side of the street where they were running. Regina always did what she could to make her day go differently too. This would be the closest Aleera and Regina would have at crossing paths.

When Jessica ran by, some force threw Regina back and made her spin around and fall forward into her car. Jessica didn't notice her but she found herself veering off course away from Regina at that particular moment. She didn't even notice, but Audrey did.

"Jeeze, Jess!" Audrey called back to her as Jessica started to fall back again when they'd turned the corner. "You nearly took out the mayor!"

"I what?" Jessica asked confused. That wasn't what normally happened. "Who was it?"

"The May-orr!" Audrey sounded out through her labored breathing. "Regina Mills!" That made Jessica falter and Aleera take over. She had been in Regina's vicinity and she hadn't known? Then she remembered the deal her father made with her. That made her slow down and turn around to look for Regina. But she couldn't see her now.

"You're on your own slow poke!" Audrey called to her, and then she and Tina got too far away for Aleera to catch up and headed into the school. Jessica was later to school that day than she'd ever been. It changed her day up ever so slightly so that was a bonus. But she was too distracted by what had happened to her that morning.

With this deal she would be kept from her sister for 28 years. It would be nearly 40 years when adding the time she spent in her father's prison. Aleera couldn't stand that. Although there was nothing she could do to change her sister back now, she wanted at least to be in her life. She missed her. So she decided to enlist Jefferson's help in making contact with her sister. She knew that her father had planned for everything direct. But there must be some loophole she could find.

"You want to break in to the Queen's house?" Jefferson asked when she showed him the layout of the house she'd taken from the historical museum.

"I can't directly go to her." She told him. "But I can leave hints. Things that would link to me."

"You think that will be enough?" Jefferson asked.

"I thought about letting the Sherriff catch me in her house," Aleera told him. "The deal would make him more likely to catch me than for her, but if he told her my name and gave a description, she would have an even bigger hint. In the meanwhile I will do other things. Like leaving my name in the suggestion box at the courthouse, maybe mail her a picture of me. I don't know what else."

"Sounds like some plausible ideas," he said. "How does this involve me?"

"Don't you want to mess with Regina?" she asked him.

"I want her dead," he seethed.

"Well…" Aleera paused. She couldn't give him that. She wanted Regina alive. But Aleera didn't want to do this alone. Two heads were better than one. So she chose to lie. "I guess that's one way to break the curse." Jefferson looked like a kid at Christmas at that.

"You'll kill her for me?" he asked excitedly. Jefferson had done many terrible things in his past, but he wasn't a killer. Aleera wasn't either. And she had no intention to kill Regina, but she didn't want Jefferson to try. So she made a stipulation.

"We will get her to kill herself," she said. "We'll drive her mad." Jefferson really liked that. It was quite an ample punishment for her to have the same fate as his.

All Aleera had to do was keep up the façade, possibly for the next 27 and a half years. Who knew how long it would take to get a message through to Regina. Time seemed to move so quickly there. 6 months felt like nothing to Jessica. The curse numbed her down to believe that was how time was moving. But Aleera could feel how much time had gone by if she let herself think about it. She often tried to look at time progression through Jessica's eyes.

Before undergoing their big mission of a break in, Aleera and Jefferson tried her other ideas first. She wrote suggestions in the courthouse suggestion box with her name signed onto it. But the person who handled the suggestions before giving them to Regina scratched her name out to protect the girl's identity, thinking this girl didn't know it was supposed to be anonymous. Aleera mailed her photo to Regina's address. But the postman rerouted it to her office mail, where the mail clerk threw it away because he thought it was junk mail for an amateur escort service. Her note she'd sent with it had been rewritten by magic to be suggestive.

"This is ridiculous!" Aleera exclaimed frustrated. She was burning letters she'd gotten in the mail from perverted lonely men in Storybrooke who wanted a good time. Jefferson was looking through his telescope looking for Regina. "I hate my dad!"

"Maybe it's time to haul out the big guns," Jefferson suggested, looking up. "Let's do our biggest plan."

In the cover of night when Jefferson saw Regina was working late, he and Aleera broke into the house. They made quite a show of the break in. They broke a door window to unlock the back door. They ran in and vandalized everything they could quickly disassemble. Jefferson had fun breaking her furniture and smashing things. While he did that, Aleera removed a painting from a white wall of the living room and started spray painting.

She drew a large X on the wall. On one line she sprayed an R on one point and a D on the other. On the other line she sprayed an A and another A on the points. She then sprayed a heart in the center point of the X. R and D for Regina and Daniel, A and A for Aleera and Alastair. That was as direct a hint as she thought the deal would let her do. It was a bit messy because Aleera only had moonlight to see from. But she hoped it would be readable enough.

When she did that she heard sirens coming toward the house. And when that happened, Jessica took over. She made Aleera pick up her feet and start running. She raced toward the back door and was out of it before Jefferson could ask her what she was doing.

"What are you doing!" he called after her. Just then the front door to Regina's house was kicked in, and Sherriff Graham came bounding in with his flashlight and gun poised.

"Put your hands where I can see them!" He bellowed.

"What?" Jefferson asked confused.

The lights in Regina's house came on, and she entered. She wasn't supposed to get here this quickly. Jefferson raised his arms and looked around for Aleera. But she was long gone. She was headed straight for her home, running in the back allies, hiding in shadows. Aleera screamed in her head to Jessica to stop doing that. But Jessica was trying to save her ass. Since Regina hadn't been far behind the sirens, the deal had sent Aleera running for cover.

When Jefferson was hand cuffed and being led out of the house by the Sherriff, he turned to look at the wall where Aleera had been spray-painting her clue. It was completely illegible. The X had been made too big so the two letters at the top points of the X were faint because Aleera couldn't reach very high and it didn't get direct contact. The lower letters were all bloated from being painted with the spray can so close to the wall. All that one could tell was the X. Even the heart was pretty lumpy. The deal made everything impossible.

Jefferson sat in the interrogation room with his hands cuffed in front of him. Regina and Graham stood in the viewing room watching him through a one-way mirror. Graham was prattling on about possible teen groups who would tag Regina's living room like that, but was coming up with no for sure suspects. Regina was ignoring him, just glaring at Jefferson. She knew that he still had his memories. He vandalized her house because he wanted revenge, but he was too weak to do anything really serious.

"I'd like to talk to him alone," Regina said, interrupting Graham.

"I'm not sure that's best," Graham told her. Regina turned to him and glared. So he tried to save the conversation. "It just wouldn't be safe."

"He's harmless," she said, turning back to look at Jefferson.

"Just let me check him out first," Graham begged her. But she ignored him. She stormed out of the observation room and barged into the interrogation room.

"Hello, Regina," Jefferson said to her while she stared at him.

"Hello, Mr…?" she feigned to not know him.

"Oh knock it off!" he growled, banging his cuffed fists on the table.

"What were you doing in my house, Jefferson?" Regina asked. Jefferson didn't respond. He wanted to tell Regina about Aleera, but some force in him compelled him to remain silent. He found it odd that he didn't say anything.

"Well?" Regina asked. Jefferson tried to speak up, but then he nearly swallowed his tongue. "Cat got your tongue?" she asked, mocking him. That phrase couldn't be truer at that moment. The deal had his tongue. Regina turned back to the mirror and waved at Graham to come in. It took a minute but then Graham came swiftly into the interrogation room.

"Release him," Regina told Graham.

"What?" Jefferson said, finally finding his voice.

"Are you sure about that Madame Mayor?" Graham asked her. "You really should let me handle him. He committed a crime he should have a trial."

"Alright," Regina agreed. "Let him have his trial. I think a perfect sentence would be for him to pay for the damages. I know he's lousy with money." She looked back down at Jefferson and sneered. Jefferson scowled back at her. "Don't bother processing him," Regina said to Graham. "He can certainly make bail."

Aleera left Jefferson alone for a couple of days. She had one more plan to attempt. This one was the least direct plan she'd had. It in fact did not go against the deal. She was doing something her father would want her to do. She was making the breaking of the curse more possible.

"Good morning, Miss Duncan," said Mary Margaret Blanchard when Aleera came to see her in between morning classes. Jessica was on the bench for this plan. Aleera was in control. In her arms she held the storybook that she had made with the Blue Fairy. She had gone to Mr. Gold's shop the day before and bought the book from him. She had to spend 50 dollars to get a book that she made. Apparently just the binding and gold inlay made it that expensive.

"Hey Miss. B," Aleera said. It sounded like something Jessica would call her. "I have something for you."

"For me?" Mary Margaret asked completely stunned. As far back as she could remember the only gifts she received were from her students.

"Well, for your class," Aleera clarified. She lifted up the book and put it in front of Mary Margaret on her desk.

"Once Upon a Time?" Mary Margaret read off the cover of the book. "Is this a book of Fairy Tales?" she flipped through the pages.

"I thought your students might like it," Aleera told her. "During reading time or something?"

"Well that's so sweet," Mary Margaret told her. She was very flattered by the gift.

"You're welcome," Aleera told her, half bowing to her. She caught herself and sprung back up. This was Mary Margaret Blanchard, not Princess Snow White. Then the bell rang and Aleera excused herself. When she left Mary Margaret's students filed in. Mary Margaret got up from her desk to lead the class, and forgot all about the book. At the end of the day when it was time for the students to clean up the classroom, one of the students put it on the bookshelf.

"What happened to you!" Jefferson yelled at Aleera when she came to his house a couple nights later like she normally did after her evening spent with Alastair.

"It was my father's deal," she explained. "I was wrong, there is nothing I can do to get around it. I was just kidding myself."

"Is that why I couldn't tell her anything when she asked me?" he asked her.

"You would be acting as another party, so yes," she told him. "The expenses for the clean up aren't too terrible are they?"

"It's not like I'm going to use my money for anything else," he told her.

"I'm really sorry," she told him.

"Sorry I paid for your crimes or sorry I can't get my revenge?" he asked her to clarify.

"You're not a killer, Jefferson," she told him.

"I could probably stomach beating the crap out of her at least," he countered. He imagined scarring that gorgeous face of hers and making her as ugly on the outside as she was on the inside.

"Well, let's put that on hold too," she said. "We don't need her throwing you in jail for good if she thinks you are too much trouble to remain free."

"Yeah, I guess," Jefferson pouted. Aleera assuringly put her hand on his shoulder and they walked into his living room to hang out. While they walked together she told him about giving the book to Mary Margaret. He agreed with her that it was a good idea.

"Mind if I sleep here tonight?" Aleera asked through a yawn.

"Trying to sell your story more?" he asked. They sat down on opposite couches and Aleera picked her feet up and lounged.

"Since the curse makes me wake up every day on the floor of the studio even though I go to sleep in my actual bed," she told him. "I doubt it matters really where I fall asleep."

"I see you walking from your house to the dance studio in the mornings through my telescope," he told her. "You are all dressed for yoga and look very tired."

"The curse is probably taking over me completely at that moment to make sure I'm in the right spot," she said. "I certainly have no memory of that." She was starting to fall asleep.

"Then you can sleep here," he said. She lightly acknowledged the permission he granted, but then she was asleep. Jefferson took a blanket that was lying on the back of his couch and draped it over Aleera. He then left her there so he could sleep in his bed. The next morning he was awoken by her clumsy sleepwalking, leaving his house. He got up and watched her file out of the house like the undead. It gave him a reason to laugh.

**What do you all think of Storybrooke so far? After taking a two week break from writing I wanted to get a couple chapters in very quickly. But I will probably go back to only one chapter a week. Who knows. Please let me know what you think of my story. I appreciate the people who say they like my story. But I'd love to know what you really think. Is there any certain part you really liked? Are you looking forward to something. Just so you know, the next chapter is going to take place 28 years later when Emma comes to town. Thank you for reading!**


	12. Part 2 Ch 3

28 Years Later

Aleera more than reaped the punishment for creating the curse. Her thirst for experiencing a new day was hard to quench. She only received solace in Jefferson, as he did with her. But he also was becoming even more maddened. Aleera let Jessica be in control most of the time. That way she would feel less.

Jefferson would fill her in on things her sister was up to; like that she'd adopted a child. Aleera was happy to know things about her sister, but she wanted to learn these things herself. In return she assisted Geoffrey in Grace's ballet class and would make an effort to talk to Grace about something different every time so she would have something new to report to Jefferson. But it was rare that Jefferson was pleased, for the things Grace said were things that Paige would say. It wasn't the same.

Jessica never got fed up with the limits of her relationship with Geoff like Aleera did when she held the reigns. Aleera hated that Geoff was basically using her for sex and that was it. When they were around other people he'd be hard on her so people wouldn't suspect they were in a relationship. Whenever Aleera would try to engage him in conversation when they were alone together, he often didn't want to talk about anything else but how much his ex-wife, Jade, wronged him. She had cast dispersions on his manhood to the entire town and she had revealed long after they were married that their daughter, Teagan, wasn't his. She had dumped him for the real father, Geoff's cousin, Lee. Jessica was the only girl in town who didn't believe anything Jade said, therefore she was Geoff's only option.

Aleera wanted this curse broken so she could have Alastair back. She hoped she wouldn't have any residual resentment when everything was put back together. Alastair wasn't using her, Geoff was. Jefferson had asked her time and time again why at least once she hadn't tried dumping Geoff that repeated night instead of sleeping with him. But Aleera couldn't do that. Alastair was still in there. It was his face she'd be saying it to.

But then at 8:15 pm on the 28th anniversary of their arrival in this world, which Aleera hadn't even been keeping track, time started moving forward. She was knocking on Geoff's door right at that moment to start her nightly routine when the clock started ticking. Geoff opened the door as usual. But instead of pulling her in and kissing her like usual, he changed the pattern.

"I'm not in the mood tonight," he said to her. Aleera was taken aback. This wasn't normal.

"What?" she asked.

"Yeah…" he sighed. "I texted you just now." Aleera reached in her pocket and looked at her phone that she had felt vibrate when she'd got to the door, at exactly 8:15. It said, "Not 2nite sorry."

"Uh, okay…" she said trying to take it all in. "Bye?"

"Yeah, bye," he said as he closed the door on her. Aleera left his back patio and was walking her normal stroll through the woods when she got a text. She thought it was Geoff saying he'd changed his mind, but it was Jefferson.

"Did you dump him this time? Why are you leaving?" texted Jefferson.

"He sent me away," she replied. She started to head to Jefferson's from where she was in the woods. He responded again a few minutes later.

"WHAT!"

"I know!" she replied. "Something's wrong!" she texted again.

"Come over," Jefferson texted her.

"On my way," she replied.

It was a decent walk from Geoffrey's house to Jefferson's mansion. Jefferson waited for her in his entryway. He sat on a bench there, twiddling his thumbs and bouncing his knees up and down. Something had caused this abrupt change. Only things he, Regina, and Aleera did could change things since they had their memories. When he got impatient waiting by the door he stormed out of there and walked through the house.

Jefferson went back to his telescope and looked at Geoffrey's house. He wasn't in his overly windowed first floor. Jefferson panned around and then focused on the part of the house that for years he'd avoided looking as per Aleera's request: the bedroom windows. Geoff was there, and someone was with him: his ex-wife Jade. They were in a romantic embrace.

"That's impossible!" Jefferson exclaimed.

"What's impossible?" Aleera asked from the door. Jefferson jumped. He forgot that Aleera often let herself in. He couldn't let Aleera see this. It would crush her. But when she'd startled him he knocked the telescope and it changed views. Aleera swiftly came over to look into the telescope and tried to aim it at the spot she thought Jefferson had been looking.

"Oh my God…" Aleera said.

"Aleera…" Jefferson cautioned. "I know what it looks like…"

"It looks like 8:25," Aleera said.

"What?" Jefferson asked, wondering if 8:25 was some sort of sexual position this world had that he hadn't heard of.

"The clock," she said still looking through the telescope. "It says it's 8:25 right now." Jefferson pushed Aleera out of the way and looked for himself. The telescope was aimed at the clock tower in the town square. It no longer said it was 8:15.

"How is that possible?" He asked standing back up and looking Aleera in the eyes.

"It means time is moving forward," Aleera said. Then she got a huge smile on her face. "The Savior is here," Jefferson gave her a smile that matched hers. He swept her up into his arms and they hugged.

"The final battle has begun," he said to her when he put her back on her feet.

"And the deal has resolved itself," she told him. They were both silent for a while.

"That means you can finally see your sister," he said quietly.

"Yes," she replied. "…It does."

Jefferson was trying to ignore the desire to ask her if their plan to hurt Regina would start back up. He had suspicions that Aleera had no desire to hurt her sister. He had told himself it was because Aleera was a good person and blinded by her sister being her family to accept that she was evil. But Aleera had accepted that. It didn't change the fact that she wanted her sister back in her life because she loved her.

"You should go home," he told her. "You'll actually wake up in your bed now."

"I suppose I will," she agreed. Tomorrow would be a big day. Everything would be different. She would no longer be reliving that same day. Tomorrow was new.

The next day Aleera did in fact wake up in bed. She was disoriented at first, she wasn't used to seeing her room at that time of day. She looked at the clock and saw she was late for yoga, but she didn't care. She was not going today. She was going to explore. She wanted to see Regina. She wanted to see the Savior too.

Aleera was strolling down the center of town enjoying completely new visuals when she saw Regina. The Mayor was looking up at the clock tower. She probably was wondering why it was moving. Archie Hopper walked up to her and chatted with her. She turned to him and wasn't as cheerful as he was. Aleera finally saw her face after 28 years. It was bizarre to see Regina with short hair and in Storybrooke clothing. Aleera wanted to go up to her, but she had no idea how to gracefully introduce herself. Regina had changed in more ways than just her appearance.

Aleera saw Regina focusing on something nearby: a yellow bug. That car didn't look familiar to Aleera. She knew everyone's cars. She squinted and saw that the license plate said a state with a long name starting with an M. It certainly wasn't Maine. It must be the Savior's car. Regina headed in the direction of Granny's Inn. Aleera went to follow her when someone stopped her.

"Stalking your sister, dearie?" said a familiar voice. Aleera turned and saw Mr. Gold. Aleera stared at him dumbfounded. How would Mr. Gold know that Regina and Aleera were related? He thought they were Mayor Regina Mills and Jessica Jane Duncan. But then it hit Aleera. Rumple had his memories.

"Fancy a cuppa tea?" Rumplestiltskin asked. Aleera silently followed him to his shop. When they were alone and he was heating up a teapot on a hot plate, Aleera finally spoke.

"How do you remember?" she asked. "Have you always?"

"No," he told her. He faced her while the pot was heating up. "I remembered once Emma Swan came to town."

"Emma Swan?"Aleera asked confused. But then she figured out whom he meant. "The Savior."

"Yes," he replied. "I asked Snow White and Prince Charming for the name of their child so that when the Savior arrived to town and introduced herself to me, her name would trigger my memories."

"I could have done with that," Aleera said. "Instead of remembering all this time."

"Ah, yes," Rumple chortled. "You must have really enjoyed the last 28 years. Living the same day every day."

"Yeah," she said. "I don't need a recap."

"Well I promise that things will be more interesting now," he told her. "My advice: change your measures. Now that time is moving your money and supplies won't magically replenish. Perhaps you better take me on as a benefactor."

"I don't think so," Aleera told him, sensing the trap. "I'm not about to get bound to you again."

"I thought so," Rumple told her. "Just checking."

"Why'd you stop me from going to Regina just now?" Aleera asked him. "Our deal has expired."

"I know you only believe the worst in me," her father told her. "But maybe I had more reasons for keeping you apart other than to stop you from interfering with the curse."

"Like what?" Aleera asked. Rumple paused for a bit before answering.

"To protect you," he told her. Aleera was taken aback.

"Protect me from what?" she asked. "From Regina? Why?"

"I know what she does to people who care about her," Rumple said.

"You mean like with her father?" Aleera asked. "I assume he was the one whose heart she sacrificed."

"There's that," Rumple said. "But she also uses people. I didn't want you to end up in her pocket."

"I guess I can understand that," Aleera said. "But I can handle myself, I don't need your help."

"Sorry," he told her. "Father's prerogative."

The teapot started to whistle and Rumple picked it up to pour the tea. But when he turned around, Aleera was gone and he heard the security bell on the door chime. "So that's what that feels like," Rumple said to himself.

Aleera left the pawnshop and headed for school. She was looking forward to learning new things in school finally. But she was really antsy about seeing the Savior and seeing Regina properly. Then she saw her; the Savior this time. She didn't need further confirmation than the fact that she saw a woman she had never seen before. This Emma Swan was walking with a boy that Aleera knew from around school as Regina's adopted son. What were they doing together? Aleera decided to follow them.

Henry was prattling off to Emma and Emma seemed to just be going along with it. Aleera wondered how those two had become buddies. Aleera couldn't get too close or else they'd become suspicious. Henry looked behind them a few times and Aleera had to look away. She was close enough that when Henry suddenly freaked out and threw an apple Emma was holding behind them, Aleera had to dodge it. Aleera thought that was pretty bizarre until the boy pulled out some papers from his backpack, that Aleera recognized. They were pages from the Once Upon a Time storybook. How did he get them? Aleera wondered. But then she remembered that Henry was in Miss Blanchard's class. Was he showing her these pages because he knew she was the Savior too?

Emma and Henry arrived at school with Aleera following behind them. When Henry ran off to go into the school, Mary Margaret walked up to Emma to talk to her. Aleera finally had a more plausible reason to stand near enough to listen. She leaned on a parked car and checked out her phone.

"It's good to see his smile back," Mary Margaret said to Emma.

"I didn't do anything," Emma claimed.

"You stayed," Mary Margaret reasoned with her. How would Emma staying affect that boy? "So, does the Mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows," the Savior said. "What is her deal? She's not a great people person how did she get elected?" Aleera was startled by that opinion at first, but then she remembered how awkward Regina had been with people at her husband's kingdom. And her being evil now probably didn't help.

"She's been Mayor as long as I can remember," Mary Margaret told her the classic kind of explanation everyone gave when it came to things that they think happened in the past but didn't really. Mary Margaret went on to describe Regina and then she mentioned the book.

"…I only made that worse by giving Henry that book and now he thinks she's the Evil Queen." So Mary Margaret actually gave him the book. And somehow that kid caught on to it being real and that this woman was the Savior.

Emma Swan left Mary Margaret after getting Archie's name and she walked off. Aleera took the opportunity to squeeze out some information from Mary Margaret.

"Good morning, Miss Duncan," Mary Margaret said. Aleera didn't get why Mary Margaret never called her by her first name.

"Hey, how are you, and who the hell was that?" Aleera said in Jessica's talking style.

"Language, missy!" Mary Margaret said wide-eyed.

"Sorry," Aleera said. "Who the hec was that?"

"Emma Swan," Mary Margaret replied.

"And she's?" Aleera asked.

"Henry Mills birth mother," Mary Margaret told her.

Aleera's jaw dropped practically down to the pavement. The Savior and Henry's birth mother were one and the same? That couldn't be anymore perfect. Or maybe, couldn't be anymore worse. Regina would have plenty of reason to go after this woman. Aleera would have to stop her. She would have to find a way in to help get the curse broken. She knew her father would want her to stay out of it. But she was no longer obligated to do what he wanted. They weren't related here.

Later that day Aleera overheard more about the Savior. It was toward the end of the day where Aleera had a free period. She and friends were hanging out on picnic tables out on the lawn and Mary Margaret was teaching Henry's class nearby on the ground. Aleera's friends were chatting and Aleera could hear Mary Margaret teaching her science period when another familiar voice came out of nowhere.

"May I speak with my son?" Aleera heard Regina say. She froze. This was another chance to see Regina. She could whip around on the bench and get Regina's attention. But what her father said made her cautious. Maybe she didn't want Regina to know she was in Storybrooke.

"We're in the middle of a lesson, is it important?" she heard Mary Margaret asked.

"Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?" Regina snapped. That made Aleera jump. She heard Regina call Henry over and they stood even closer to where Aleera was sitting. "Henry, sweetie, I have some bad news." And she went on to tell him that Emma Swan had been arrested for stealing private files about Henry from Archie. Aleera couldn't believe it. Why would Emma do that? But then she sensed some falseness in Regina's tone. She knew when her sister was spinning crap. She'd done it around Snow and Leopold all the time.

When Aleera heard the clacking of Regina's shoes walking away she finally turned around. She saw that Henry was whispering something to Mary Margaret. When he did that Mary Margaret called a recess monitor over and had her lead the other students back into the school. Then Mary Margaret followed Henry off campus. Aleera had to find out why.

"Jess, where are you going?" Audrey called.

"Oh my god, I think she's cutting!" Tina gasped.

Aleera followed them and saw they were going into the police station. She let them get a head start getting into the building and then followed them. She listened at the door and heard them talking to Emma and the Sherriff.

"I know what you were up to," she heard Henry say. "You were gathering intel, for Operation Cobra." Operation what?

"I'm sorry I'm a bit lost," said Graham.

"It's need to know, Sherriff," Henry said. "And all you need to know is, Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out."

"You are?" Emma said. "Why?"

"I-trust you," Mary Margaret told her. Aleera wondered if Mary Margaret's inner Snow could tell they had a connection. She didn't have much time to gush to herself about how sweet that was because she heard all of them heading out. She darted over to a bench in the hallway and slumped down on it trying to look chill. Henry, Mary Margaret, and Emma filed out and walked past.

"I feel like I've seen her a lot today," Henry whispered to the women. "Has that girl been following us?"

"I doubt that, sweetie," Mary Margaret said. But both Henry and Emma turned their necks to look at Aleera. She nodded a hello and went back to twiddling her thumbs.

"Can I help you, Jessica?" Aleera jumped when Graham addressed her.

"Someone stole lunch money out of my locker," Aleera told him.

"So you came to me?" he asked.

"Well," Aleera said, sitting up straight. "You're the Sherriff aren't you? Isn't this what they do?"

"The principal of your school would be in charge of that petty theft," he told her. "You better get back to school now."

"Right-o," Aleera groaned. She got up and left the station. It was a good thing her improvised excuse resulted like that. She didn't really want Graham getting up in her business. She needed to keep a low profile. The people she needed to get involved with were Emma Swan and Henry. But she had an instinct that Henry would be the one to go to first. He believed the most.

Aleera went back to school for the short remainder of the day, and then she went to gymnastics class. While it was technically the first time she'd ever been to one of those since before she'd been experiencing a Monday over and over again, Jessica still had the skills.

"Where were you this morning?" Geoffrey asked her when she arrived.

"I slept in," she told him.

"So you figured out beds are for sleeping did you?" he asked sarcastically. "We all sure did miss you snoring on the floor in here." Her classmates giggled at his remarks. Aleera ignored them and kept her eyes on her teacher.

"I won't miss again," she told him.

"Glad to hear it," he told her. "But for future reference, if regular early classes are too much for you, you are allowed to go every other day." His lenience startled Aleera.

"Seriously?" said a couple other people in the class.

"Of course!" he told them. "I only would like you to come everyday. You aren't required." He then went to the balance beam and had everyone line up. Aleera went to the front but her friends lingered in the back.

"Would have liked to know that before," Audrey said to Tina. "As far back as I can remember he's never been that flexible with our regimens.

"Maybe's he's in a good mood?" Tina suggested.

"I wonder who inspired that in him?" Audrey asked suggestively. Both girls cackled.

"Something funny back there?" Geoffrey called out to them.

"Nope!" the girls responded. Aleera didn't hear their conversation. But if she had she would have wondered that same thing. She hadn't had her usual nighttime activity with Geoff that previous night, and she had no idea about Jade being there. While Jefferson would never say anything, in the future Aleera would find out.


	13. Part 2 Ch 4

Aleera relished time moving forward. There was so much more she could do and see. She had new experiences and conversations. She got to expand her lifestyle. What time she did not spend with Geoff she spent getting handy with this world's technology, learned more about the people she knew were what this world called, "fairy tales," and she even adopted pets. She took in strays that were separated from their owners when the curse hit. There was plenty of room for them in the split-level house that she'd been assigned to.

The parents that she had in this world were in fact her adopted parents from the Enchanted Forest. Despite the fact that they never stepped foot in the new world, there was evidence that they had. Pictures existed of them in real world clothing and doing real world things. Although they never really happened, Aleera cherished them. She loved photography and movies. It became her thing to quote 80's movies. She loved Dirty Dancing. She felt it was perfect for her and Alastair.

Geoff had no idea that he'd been sleeping with Jessica every night for 28 years. So he did not react strangely to their meetings being less frequent, because he thought they'd always been. But now that time was moving, a certain aspect to his character was coming out. He wasn't the most honorable person, even though that was what Alastair was the embodiment of.

He still had feelings for his ex-wife. Yes most of the time he hated her. But he yearned for her approval and he always put getting her and Teagan back as a possible option for his life. Even more rarely than with Jessica, he and Jade would come together. Although she was with Lee and had no intention of going back to Geoff or recanting anything she said about him, she loved the power she had over him. She had plans to rip his house from under him so she and her family could live there since it was so beautiful. Geoff was one person. He could have their apartment.

One day when Aleera saw Emma walking Henry to the bus, she decided it was time to formally introduce herself to him. She knew Emma wasn't ready for her yet. But Henry was a believer and he deserved to know he was right about everything. So she decided to ride the bus to school that day. She got on to the bus after him and sat one seat behind him in the back of the bus. He settled in for the ride and gazed dreamily out the window. His fairy tale book was peaking out of his backpack.

"You like that book?" Aleera asked him, leaning over the back of his seat. He jumped and then stared at her bewildered.

"I guess," he said awkwardly, and then turned back around.

"I hope you more than guess," she told him. "I worked hard on that." That got his attention.

"What!" he exclaimed.

"Your book," she said, reaching out to touch it. "Me and The Blue Fairy crafted it before your mother's curse."

"My mother?" he asked.

"Your adopted mother," Aleera said. "Your birth mother is the Savior. I never would have fathomed that fate would work like that." Henry looked excited, but also cautious.

"How do I know you aren't fibbing?" he asked her.

"You won't," she told him honestly. "But I need you to believe me and bring me into Operation Cobra. I believe that's what you've been calling your mission to break the curse. It's cool."

"You were following us weren't you?" he sniggered. Henry reminded Aleera of young Snow at that moment.

"You're a smart kid," she complimented him. "I'm honored to align myself with you, young Prince." Henry blushed at that. He loved the fact that he was in ways a Prince. He moved from his seat and came to sit next to her.

"Where are you in the book?" he asked, opening it up and flipping through the pages.

"Oh I'm not in it," she told him.

"You aren't?" he asked her. "Why?"

"I didn't think my story was worth telling," she admitted for the first time. "It wasn't until after I made the book that my story meant something to me."

"What is your story?" he asked. They were getting close to the school so they wouldn't have much time to talk.

"It's complicated," she told him. He started to get suspicious.

"Who were you aligned with?" he asked.

"Your grandmother, briefly," she told him.

"Who else?" he asked. Aleera started to sweat. How would he react to this?

"Regina," she told him. He got wide-eyed and leaped out of the seat to get away from her.

"You're working for her!" he accused. That alerted some of the kids on the bus to their conversation. "She put you up to this!"

"No!" she insisted. She yanked him back on the seat and held him at his shoulders. She looked him right in the eyes and panted as she tried to restrain him and speak.

"I haven't spoken to her since before the curse….I want the curse broken to end her rule…you can trust me." Just then the bus stopped at the drop off in front of the school. The kids started to file out, but a couple ran up to the bus driver and said things to him while pointing at Aleera and Henry.

"Hey, what's going on back there?" he called out to them. Aleera released Henry and he got up. He gave her a withering stare and then stormed off the bus. Aleera got up and straightened her coat, and tried to walk out of there dignified.

"Do I need to involve the school?" the portly bus driver asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"No, sir," she told him. "I wasn't trying to hurt him. I was trying to calm him down."

"Well…" he fidgeted. "He's a troubled little guy but also the mayor's kid, you better hope she doesn't make a complaint."

"I hope so too," she told him. And then she skipped off the bus. She didn't like people calling her sort of-nephew troubled. He was right about everything. She was going to make sure he was proven right.

Henry didn't tell anyone about the run in with that girl, not even Emma. He didn't know what to make of it yet. He had suspicions that she did work for Regina. But he also hoped she was telling the truth. Other than confronting her at school sometime he had no idea how to contact her. He didn't know her name. He just knew she was a senior.

But he got another chance to see her when he went with Emma to investigate the case of a pregnant teenager who had stolen something from Mr. Gold. He was standing by Emma as she talked to Ruby when Aleera strolled by.

"What's going on?" Aleera asked Ruby as she came through the gate in front of the diner. Ruby slyly winked at Aleera and then gestured to Emma.

"She's asking about Ashley," Ruby said. Emma looked at Aleera and sized her up. She recognized her from a while back.

"You friends with her too?" Emma asked Aleera.

"Through Ruby, but only a little," Aleera said. Aleera was responsible for Cinderella being abandoned, she felt bad. She cut quick looks to Henry in between looking at Emma. Henry was staring at her, thinking about the conversation they'd had. "What do you want with her?"

"Just trying to find her, that's all," Emma said.

"Gold wants her," Ruby said through tight lips to Aleera. Gold wanted Ashley Boyd? Or did Rumplestiltskin want Cinderella? While she was thinking this over Ruby and Emma stepped aside and Emma grilled her for more information. Henry used that time to sneak a conversation with Aleera.

"What do you know about Ashley?" he asked her. "If you really believe, you must know something."

"She's Cinderella," Aleera told him.

"And who's Gold?" he pressed her further. He had yet to figure that out.

"Rumplestiltskin" Aleera whispered. Henry stared agape. "My name's Aleera," Aleera bent down to whisper to Henry. "Here I'm Jessica Duncan, look me up, we can talk later."

"Henry let's go," Emma said stepping back over to them. Henry followed her but didn't turn away from Aleera until they were past the diner. "What were you two talking about?" Aleera heard Emma saying from her distance away. She didn't hear Henry's response. Aleera went to Ruby and they hugged.

"We can't let Emma give Ashley's baby to Gold," she said to her.

"What do you suppose we do?" Aleera asked her, as they pulled apart.

"I'm going to give her my car," Ruby said. Aleera was taken aback. "I'm going to get her out of town, to Boston."

"You want to send a pregnant woman in her 9th month across the town line?" Aleera asked very worried. Aleera knew that wouldn't work. Cinderella would crash her car before the nose of it touched the line.

"It's her best shot!" Ruby hissed.

"Why don't I talk to Gold, get him to renege?" Aleera asked.

"Like he'd listen to you?" Ruby scoffed. Granny came and stood in the doorway of the diner and glared at Ruby. "I have to get back to work," she told Aleera. "Don't do anything stupid." She walked back into the diner and Aleera stood where she was for a moment before heading in the direction of Gold's shop. Jessica couldn't persuade Mr. Gold. But maybe Aleera had a shot with her father.

"Miss Duncan to what do I owe the pleasure?" Gold said as Aleera came into the shop. There was one other person perusing the shop, so Gold was keeping up appearances. Aleera came up to the counter, scowling the whole way. She looked like her sister when she did that. Gold disliked that they looked like each other at all. He loved Aleera, he hated Regina.

"Can we talk in private?" Aleera asked him. Gold eyed the other customer who was trying to act like he was not eavesdropping. How would it look to see Gold take a teenager in the back room? This better be important.

"Of course," he said. He gestured toward the curtain to the back room and he allowed Aleera to go in first. "What is the problem?" he asked when they were concealed.

"Cinderella," Aleera told him. Rumple frowned and dragged her further away from the curtain so the client wouldn't hear.

"That's not your concern," he told her.

"Oh it isn't?" she asked. Rumple continued to shake his head. "I helped you separate her from her husband. I was under the impression that was only so you could get to the place you wanted to be. I didn't think you seriously wanted her child!"

"Quiet down," he said.

"What could you possibly do with a baby?"she asked. "Looking for a second chance at fatherhood? Or third, I suppose now?"

"I don't want the child," he assured her.

"Really? Could have fooled me," she told him. "What crazy indirect scheme do you have up your sleeve?"

"I need Miss Swan in my pocket," Rumple decided to level with her.

"To what end?"

"I need her desperate enough to make a deal with me."

"Oh," Aleera realized. "I should have known. What is the price you seek?" Rumple was silent, he knew it would be futile to keep any of this from his daughter, but he knew she wouldn't be happy no matter what.

"She is going to help me find Bae," he admitted. Aleera took a minute to settle with that, but her eventual reaction was anger.

"You said, 'I' would help you find Bae!" she growled.

"And you can," he said. "But Miss Swan has skills we will find useful. She knows the outside world more than we do. She has a knack for finding people. And I think I can appeal to her pathos because she spent her life parentless just like your brother. She'd want us reunited."

"Or she'll think you are the devil incarnate and you shouldn't get him back," Aleera countered.

"Well if a deal is in place she will have no choice," Rumple argued back. The father and daughter stood in silence for a while before Aleera was ready to leave. But before she could leave her father held her back. "There are some things I want to talk about to you too."

"Like what?" she asked.

"You shouldn't be involved with this case," he told her.

"The case of breaking the curse?" she asked.

"I was referring to my deal with Miss Boyd," he told her. "But yes, perhaps that other case too."

"Why?" Aleera asked.

"You won't be able to hide from Regina if you get involved with her son," he told her.

"Why should I be hiding?" Aleera asked, but she had been doing exactly that.

"She will find you a threat," he told her. "Being a friend to her son and supporting his beliefs."

"What will she do to me?" Aleera asked. "Kill me?"

"She might," Rumple said.

"She would never do that, not to me," Aleera argued.

"She did it to her father," Rumple reminded her.

"Henry already thinks I work for her," Aleera said. "I could play it that way. Not to him but to Regina. I could make her think I'm her ally and I could use her trust to get what I need to help break the curse."

"Sounds awfully familiar," Rumple teased, referring to Aleera's mission at Regina's castle. "You like playing with your sister's mind. That's the evil in you."

"I don't like doing it," Aleera insisted. "But I can't in good conscience let Regina get away with evil, even though I love her."

"But you've had no trouble avoiding her even with your desires to be in her life," he said. "There's something you are afraid of…what is it?"

"I'm not afraid," she said. "I just haven't decided if she should know I'm here."

"No, it's something else," Rumple probed. "Your afraid to see your sister for what she is: Evil." Aleera gulped but was not going to let her father loom over her like that.

"I've always been honest with myself about that," she said.

"But yet you've stayed far away from her," he countered. "Why?" Aleera paused and bit her lip. Her father's eyes were fixed on her and she wasn't going to be able to walk out of there without answering him.

"Because I have no idea what to say," she admitted. She felt stupid for that being the reason. She was a wounded teenage girl who had tremendous guilt. She blamed herself for Regina becoming what she was.

"Aw, that's sweet," Rumple teased. Aleera scowled at him and finally left his presence.

"You have a customer," she reminded him as she left.

Aleera went home and tried to forget her conversation with Rumple but also to hide from Regina. She flipped channels on TV, fed her dogs, and then she decided to take them on their walks. She took her brown lab, Nutty, and her golden retriever Sammy on the big walk. Her Yorkshire terrier Max wouldn't need as long of a walk.

She was heading towards Granny's Inn with Nutty and Sammy when she got a text from Ruby. It said that Emma had gotten Gold to step off and that Ashley's baby was hers. Aleera was happy for Ashley, but she knew that Emma was now bound to Rumplestiltskin. When she was still looking at the text she continued to walk the dogs but then looked up when both started barking madly. Regina was standing right in front of her.

She was standing away from the dogs looking worried they might bite her. She hadn't looked up yet. Aleera pulled Nutty and Sammy back trying to turn them around so she could escape Regina, but then Regina finally looked up to the owner of these crazy dogs. Aleera could see the realization appearing on Regina's face.

Regina couldn't believe it. Aleera was in town! She looked at her sister for the first time in nearly 40 years. Aleera was dressed in a charcoal pleated skirt with multi colored horizontal stripe tights and converse shoes. Her top was a button up shirt and a royal blue unzipped hoodie. She looked like all the other teenagers in town. But the rest of her was the same. She had their mother's beautiful hair and eyes. And she looked at Regina the same way she had the last time she'd seen her: afraid. What was this girl scared of?

"I'm sorry, Madame Mayor," She said as she tried to calm the dogs. She got them to quite down and sit down on the sidewalk. They still looked up at Regina not trusting her. They could sense something off about her.

"It's quite alright," Regina said, trying to step forward, but then Sammy growled. "What's your name?" she asked Aleera. Regina had no idea Aleera was in Storybrooke so she was clueless about this girl's fake identity.

"Jessica," Aleera said.

"Jessica who?" Regina asked.

"Jessica Jane Duncan," Aleera replied.

"What a pretty name," Regina commented. "Have you lived here long? I swear I haven't seen you before." Of course Regina knew Aleera had lived here long, they all had. But she wanted to find out things about her sister.

"As far back as I can remember," Aleera said giving Regina the party line.

"Where do your parents work?" Regina asked.

"They're dead," Aleera said. Regina's face fell. Aleera was all alone?

"How do you support yourself?" Regina asked.

"I do alright," Aleera said. She didn't want to say more.

"Well, if you ever need anything, let me know," Regina told her.

Aleera saw care and goodness in her sister at that moment. She knew Regina remembered, and if she was legitimately saying these things, it meant that Regina wasn't still mad at her. It was good to know Regina could get over some things. But Aleera didn't know what Regina had done to Belle to get back at Rumple.

"Thank you," Aleera bashfully replied. Regina smiled at her and walked past. Aleera had to get moving too, because Sammy and Nutty were impatient. She'd had a run in with her sister, and it hadn't ended in death or severe physical pain. Whatever Regina thought about her, it wasn't that she knew Aleera remembered. Aleera figured it was best she did not find out.

As Regina drove home she couldn't believe what had happened. Her sister had been in Storybrooke all that time, and they had never run into each other. Regina knew nothing about her sister's personality in that world. She didn't know anything about her life. But she wanted to find out. She was going to find out.

After Henry had tricked Regina into thinking he'd been at home all day, he got on his computer to look up Aleera. He went to the student directory of Storybrooke's school system and found Aleera's email: jjdunc. He figured this would be a good way to communicate with her.

Dear Aleera.

Hey this is Henry, I hope it's okay I called you by your real name. Just letting you know I found you. I have some questions for you. I want to make sure you are okay to be brought in on the operation.

-Henry.

Henry waited for her to respond. After about 10 minutes he saw that she was online to chat. So he opened the chat window and they started talking.

Jjdunc: What do you want to know?

Hdmill: What's your story?

Jjdunc: You might not like me afterward.

Hdmill: Please tell me!

Jjdunc: I'm Regina's sister.

Hdmill: She has a sister? That wasn't in the book.

Jjdunc: Nothing about me is in the book. I'm not even connected to my father in it.

Hdmill: Henry the first?

Jjdunc: no, Rumplestiltskin.

Hdmill: No way! How is that possible?

Jjdunc: we need to be careful about leaving evidence of our conversations. We don't want anyone to find out about this.

Hdmill: So you aren't going to tell me?

Jjdunc: I will, just not on here. We will find ways to meet, don't worry.

Hdmill: Okay. Just one question though, please?

Jjdunc: What?

Hdmill: How come you have your memories?

Jjdunc: I'm cursed to remember because I couldn't stop your mother.

Hdmill: I'm sorry.

Jjdunc: It's okay. Talk to you later.

Hdmill: Okay, bye!

Aleera didn't tell him that it was because she created the curse. She would tell him that a long time later when the curse was broken. She was glad she had him now as an ally. She worried about entrusting so much to a child, but she knew he was competent and smart. She wanted to bring Emma in as soon as possible so that there would be an adult involved. But now that Regina knew Aleera was in Storybrooke, she would have to work around her too.

**So what do you all think so far? What is your favorite part? What's the funniest or saddest thing? Please feel free to review or comment. I'd love to hear from you. **


	14. Part 2 Ch 5

If Regina had known Aleera would be coming to Storybrooke as a breathing human being instead of a statue, she would have given her a better life. She would have anointed her like she had King George and Rumplestiltskin. She would have sooner gratified her sister than the Dark One. But she had made a deal with Rumple to get him the life he had.

Regina dug into Jessica Duncan's records and sent Sidney to find things out about her. She found out that Jessica lived alone with a couple dogs at her parents' house and was greatly involved in extra-curricular activities: dance, gymnastics, and karate. She had performed stage productions most of her life with her parents. That of course had never really happened. But Regina got to laugh at how well that fit, since Aleera had fooled her back in the Enchanted Forest when she pretended to be a lady in waiting named Jane. Regina found that Jessica's parents had died in an accident that conveniently left no trace of them. She also found out something about Jessica that was even more perfect that was thanks to the curse.

"I'm adopted!" Aleera yelled at Mr. Gold when she found out. Aleera had never thought that was part of her Storybrooke personality. Just like in the Enchanted Forest, the people who raised her were not really her parents. Rumple had found it fit to tell her when he'd found out Regina was digging into Aleera's life.

"Yes," Rumple told her. He was mindlessly twiddling a chipped teacup in his hands. Aleera ignored his weird tick. "I handled your adoption, I have a memory of it." Aleera raised her eyebrow at him and scowled. "Well," he added. "…an artificial memory. But it is the truth of your life in both worlds."

"Why couldn't Dora and Roderick just be my parents?" Aleera asked. "What's the point in me still being an illegitimate child?"

"To tie you to Regina," Rumple said. "She won't be able to find any trace of your birth mother, there isn't any to begin with because Cora never came here. But if they tested your blood they would find you to be half sisters through the same mother."

"And why would a test ever be taken?" Aleera asked.

"Regina may see it as an opportunity to get her hooks in you," Rumple suggested. But he grimaced at his using of the term, 'hooks.' Aleera was aware of his past with Captain Hook, so she easily caught the spasm he tried to hide. But that wasn't the issue she wanted to deal with at the time.

"Why would she do that?" Aleera asked. "I haven't heard anything from her since I bumped into her."

"That doesn't mean you're safe," he told her. "She's just busy with her son and his mother. She will get back to you again."

Regina was indeed busy with Henry and Emma. She had to work with Emma to save Henry from a caved in mine, she'd had to avert Snow White and Charming getting back together, she'd lost her sex slave, and she had worked hard to thwart Emma's goal to become Storybrooke's Sherriff. She had failed, and was grumpy about it. Her latest clashing with Emma had to do with the fates of Hansel and Gretel. Which of course she lost at destroying Emma again. She was taking a break from all that by delving into Aleera's life.

Things got even more mysterious in Storybrooke when a stranger rode his bike into town. People don't just come into a town that is unknown to most of the world. The stranger first came across Emma and Henry, but Jefferson and Aleera saw him coming in from one of Jefferson's many telescopes.

"What the hell is going on?" Jefferson asked.

"I wonder how he got in here?" Aleera asked rhetorically as she peered at him through the telescope. She was going to find out. In reality, it was an honest mistake that this stranger August W Booth was able to come in. Henry, Aleera, and Jefferson all wanted the curse broken. August was here to help. That was how he got in.

Henry also found this man to be suspicious. He planned to talk to Aleera about him. But he did plenty of probing himself first. He talked to August a few times over the stranger's first few weeks in town. Jefferson kept an eagle eye on him and he was Aleera's second source after Henry. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to introduce herself to the stranger. It was a 50 percent chance he was from their world, and a 50 percent chance he was a real world person who was out for them all. But when Jefferson saw the man steal Henry's book from the hiding spot at the castle playground, Aleera knew she needed to probe.

Aleera chose to do her investigating while the town was a buzz with Valentine's Day. She had been studying the stranger's patterns for a while and she figured out he liked to go to the diner at 10 on Saturday mornings. When she saw him leave the inn she went in and took the extra key from the desk. She had the cover of being Ruby's friend. She'd made a habit of visiting the inn to specifically see Ruby for the last few days so August wouldn't be suspicious. But little did she know he was onto her.

He had seen her staking out the place from his bathroom window. He opened his window before leaving and when he'd left the inn he'd only gone out of Aleera's sight. When he saw her go in he gave her some time to peruse his room before he snuck in. He planned to go into the room next to his that he knew was being cleaned and he would climb out the window there and climb back into his bathroom window and surprise her.

When Aleera got into the room she didn't waste time marveling at it. She went immediately for his bags. She found a few clothing options, a note pad, and some pictures. On the inside of the bag she found his name sewn in: August Wayne Booth. She checked under the blankets and pillows, making sure to remake the bed once she was done. She checked under the bed and in the desk and that's where she found the storybook. She was about to leave because she'd found what she'd came for, but then the man known as August Wayne Booth jumped out of the bathroom.

"Boo!" he said. She jumped and galvanized into action. She chose to flee. She shoved him out of the way and headed for the window he'd come in from. He lunged for her but she was too quick. She got out the window and began carefully stepping on the roof with the book where she planned to shimmy down the drainpipe on the side of the building after dropping the book onto the ground.

"Breaking into a hotel room is a crime you know!" he called out to her as he watched her try to get away. "I'll call the Sherriff!"

"Oh yeah you do that," Aleera told him from the second story outside wall. "And while we are reenacting a scene from Runaway Bride could you remind Emma that she has no idea who you are, August W Booth? It will save me an anonymous call."

"If you come back here I won't press charges," he said to her when she had gotten to the edge of the roof. She paused there and thought about it. She was about to drop the book onto the gravel when he added, "I'll give you even more information!" She decided to go back. He helped her through the window and they sat in his room.

"Who are you?" she asked him.

"You know that already," August said. "I'm August W. Booth."

"Who-Are-You!" Aleera asked again less calm that time.

"Who are you?" he asked back.

"You don't know?" she asked, deciding to tease him back, but it was unlikely that he'd figure it out. She wasn't a famous fairy tale.

"I don't know," he admitted. But then he made speculations. "You are friends with Red Riding Hood and the Magic Mirror has been stalking you. You've also been cavorting with the Dark One. You are kind of all over."

"Why do you call them that?" Aleera probed pretending to be clueless.

"Call whom what?" he asked innocently. And then he smiled. "You seem to know exactly who I am talking about." Aleera picked the book back up from the table in between them and got up to leave.

"I was just returning this to the kid you stole it from," she tried to play it off as she head for the door. "It's very important to him. You should be ashamed."

"I'm Pinocchio," August told her. She whipped around holding the book tight to her chest and gave him her full attention. "Do you want proof?" he asked. She remained silent. He then lifted his leg up onto the coffee table and lifted his pant leg. His leg was made of wood. Aleera sat back down again, but she didn't feel he was confirmed.

"This book says you should be around 7," she said, opening to the picture of Geppetto and Pinocchio working on the wardrobe. "You don't strike me as that."

"Yeah, no kidding," he said. He sat back down too, but he was wobbly. "I came through the wardrobe with Emma."

"Then why doesn't she know you?" Aleera asked.

"Because she hasn't seen me since she was a baby," he said. "You can't blame her for forgetting."

"I'd ask you questions only Pinocchio would know," she said. "But all I know is from this book, which I'm sure you've read cover to cover."

"There's more to me than is in that book," he said.

"Uh huh," Aleera said incredulously.

"And there's absolutely nothing about you in it," he said. "Maybe you are the one who shouldn't be trusted."

"I'm not the pathological liar, Pinocchio!" Aleera reminded him, saying his name with a Geppetto accent. August winced.

"Don't say it like that," he begged.

"Aw…" Aleera gushed. "Daddy issues?"

"Would you just tell me who you are?" He asked, starting to get annoyed himself.

"Okay, sure," she said. She still didn't trust him or entirely believe him, even with the wooden leg. But she decided to tell him.

"I'm Aleera," she told him. He looked very confused, he hadn't heard of her. Aleera decided to take pleasure in being more specific. "The Dark One's daughter."

"Whoa…" August exhaled. "Talk about daddy issues." They smiled at each other. "I'm glad you were willing to be honest with me."

"Oh I'm not really all that willing," she admitted. "I just figured I owed you the name of the man who will kill you if you aren't telling the truth."

"Oh gee, thanks!" August laughed. Aleera laughed too. They both knew it was an empty threat, on Aleera's part at least. Rumple still might kill him if he betrayed them.

Aleera left August a little while later, but she did not take the book with her. He told her of his plan to add his full story. He was going to give it back to Henry soon. But Aleera was not to tell Henry about the whereabouts of his book. August had an ingenious way of how he was going to give it back through Emma. Aleera thought the idea was cute. She said as long as he gave it back in the timetable he claimed he would take with it, she wouldn't rat him out.

As exciting as Aleera's morning had been, the rest of the day depressed her. It was the most romantic day of the year and she didn't have a date. It was a silly thing to mope over. But Aleera wished she had Alastair to celebrate with. As Geoff he would never take her out on the town. He couldn't. She would be sleeping with him that night because it was often Saturdays when they did. But it wouldn't mean anything to him.

But on her way to Geoff's place the night got a little more exciting, but not in a good way. Aleera was walking in the woods past an abandoned cabin when she saw her father ushering the florist Moe French out of his deliver van at gunpoint. She wanted to stop him but she knew not to go alarm him when he had a gun. So she got out her cell phone and wandered around until she got some bars. She was near Geoff's house when she got a connection, and she called the Sherriff. She remembered that she'd talked about making an anonymous call to Emma earlier that day about August.

"Sherriff's Station," Aleera heard Emma's voice on the other line.

"Uh, I'm calling to share an anonymous tip?" she said. What else would she say?

"Oh really?" Emma asked. "What's your name?"

"It's an anonymous call, duh!" Aleera shrieked. "I saw Mr. Gold take Moe French at gunpoint into the abandoned cabin in the woods!"

"This better not be a prank," Emma told her.

"Dude! Just get here!" Aleera squeaked, and then she hung up. Emma knew Mr. Gold had a thing with Moe going on right now, and David had stopped by to say that he saw Gold buying duck tape and rope and had been acting shady. As young as the anonymous tip girl sounded, she was probably telling the truth.

"So…" Rumple said in his conversation he had with Regina in between the bars when he'd been imprisoned. "You did put him up to it then?"

"I merely suggested that strong men take what they need," Regina replied.

"Oh yeah and you told him exactly what to take didn't you?" he asked rhetorically. "And I assume you called in the tip?"

"I did no such thing," Regina smiled. "Is that how you were caught?"

"You are a dreadful liar," Rumple said gruffly.

"We used to know each other so well Mr. Gold," Regina said to him. "Has it really come down to this?"

"It seems it has, yeah," he replied. "But you know what I want. What is it you want?"

"I want you, to answer one question," she told him. "And answer it simply. What's your name?"

"It's Mr. Gold," Rumple played coy.

"Your real name," Regina said glaring at him.

"Every moment I've spent on this earth that's been my name," he claimed.

"But what about moments spent elsewhere?" Regina asked trying to be subtle, not her strong suit.

"What are you asking me?" Rumple played confused.

"I think you know!" Regina snarled. "If you want me to return what's yours…tell me, your name!" Rumple paused for dramatic effect and then gave an impish smile.

"Rumplestiltskin," he finally admitted. Then he stood up and got serious. "Now give me what I want." Regina tried to play it off that she wasn't freaked out. She teased him with the teacup before giving it to him. She tried not to flinch when he called her, 'your majesty.' While he was looking over the cup to make sure nothing else was broken off of it or wrong with it, Regina decided to ask him about Aleera.

"Does Aleera remember?" she asked him. He looked up at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Why would she?" he lied.

"Just checking," she said. "It's interesting that she just now came on my radar. You wouldn't know why would you?"

"I don't," he continued to lie. "But now that we are being honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be shall we?" he then proceeded to get the upper hand on the conversation. "Don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the real power around here. I'm going to be out of here in no time. And nothing between us will change."

"We shall see," Regina said as she leered at him through the bars. Then she left him alone with Belle's cup.


	15. Part 2 Ch 6

A little while later August got the storybook back to Emma. Aleera got to pretend to be surprised when Henry told her the book had all of a sudden come back. As the weeks went by, Regina probed into Aleera's life. The Miner's Day festival was looming. That day Regina had another chance encounter with her sister.

Regina was walking away from the school. Henry had chosen to take the bus home and hadn't called her. She was heading back to her car when she saw Aleera madly dashing out of the school with her backpack bouncing on her back and a duffel bag flopping around on her left arm.

She ran through the grass and then lost her footing. She fell and belly flopped onto the ground. Regina jogged up to her to see if she was all right. She was lying on her stomach trying to get up by her knees. Her belongings were all over the place and her skirt had flown up and was revealing that she was wearing cotton booty shorts that had Dancer written across the rear.

"Nice ass, Duncan!" called a rude boy from a little ways away who had done nothing to help the girl. Aleera was scrambling to get her stuff and Regina came and helped her. They both put their hands on a notebook of Aleera's at the same time, and they looked at each other.

"Uh…hi!" Aleera said. She was looking very stressed and tense.

"Are you alright?" Regina asked.

"Yeah," Aleera said. "I'm just late for dance." She looked down at herself and she was covered in mud. "Crap," she said. "I can't go to dance like this. And I have no time to go home to change." She looked up at Regina. "Just my luck, right?"

"Why don't I give you a ride?" Regina suggested. Aleera bashfully shrugged and awkwardly laughed.

"I don't want to trouble you, I'm too dirty." she said.

"Nonsense," Regina said. She picked up Aleera's backpack and helped her put it on. "Come on. My car is due for a cleaning anyway. The mayor gets special deals everywhere. Including the car wash." Aleera followed her sister to her car. She put her backpack and duffel in the backseat and settled into the front seat.

"Thanks for doing this," Aleera said.

"It's no problem," Regina told her. "How is school going?"

"As fine as it always is," Aleera said.

"Are you ready to graduate?" Regina asked.

"Definitely," Aleera said with conviction. She had been a senior in high school for 28 years, of course she was ready to graduate. "My house is 248 Porter Street."

"Ah…" Regina replied. She already knew that from her research, but she pretended to just be learning. When they got in front of Aleera's house, Aleera jumped out of the car, grabbed her bags, and sprinted for the door. Regina followed at a regular pace behind her. In Aleera's haste she didn't close her door all the way, so Regina was able to come in.

"I'll be right out!" Aleera called. Just then all of Aleera's dogs bounded the corner from the hallway Aleera had gone down and were barking at Regina from the top of the stairs. Only Max the Yorkshire terrier actually came down to the landing Regina was waiting on. He sniffed her and then tried to hump her leg. She shook him off.

Regina could hear Aleera talking to herself. She was frantically looking for clothing to change into. Then when Regina heard Aleera screech in an aggravated tone, she decided to see what was wrong. She bypassed the dogs and came down the hallway to Aleera's bedroom and saw Aleera fussing with her hair and looking very annoyed into the mirror in front of her. She was trying to put it in a bun and have her hair very neatly done, but her hands were too angry and she was making a mess of it.

"Let me do that," Regina said. She came over to stand behind Aleera and she took over her hair.

"Geoffrey will have a fit if I don't look pristine," Aleera explained as she stood still. "He says we can never be sure when a scout will come by."

"Do they come by often?" Regina asked.

"None that I remember," Aleera said. "I think he's lying to us. A scout is never going to come to Storybrooke."

"Oh why not?" Regina asked. It was pointless to ask, she knew why.

"No one knows this town exists," Aleera said. It was quite an observant thing for a cursed person to say. Regina chalked it up to Jessica exaggerating. What she didn't know was that Aleera was being as honest as she possibly could without revealing herself as still having her memories. She felt she would feel less guilty and more herself if she didn't lie too much to Regina. Regina finished the hair do and patted it down and looked it over.

"We better get going then," Regina said. "You ready to go?"

"Yep," Aleera replied. She grabbed her duffel bag. "Thanks for the help."

"It was my pleasure," Regina told her. And then she followed her out. She drove Aleera to the dance studio and walked her in.

"You really don't have to do that," Aleera said stopping at the door to the studio.

"It's perfectly alright," Regina said. She was planning on going in with Aleera, but Aleera didn't want her to. They stood outside staring at each other. Regina wondered why Aleera was stalling. And then, the other door to the studio opened up, and Geoff stuck his head out. Regina recognized him as Alastair 10 years older. Aleera and Alastair were in each other's lives?

"Any day now, Duncan," he said to Aleera. She waved goodbye to Regina and slipped into the building under Geoff's arm. Geoff nodded his head in acknowledgment to the Mayor, and turned to follow Aleera. Regina stayed in the doorway and watched the class begin.

Geoff was leading the class through warm ups, and he was paying extra attention to Aleera. Regina saw him put his hands on her an unnecessary amount of times. And she saw him looking at Aleera in a way Regina recognized. Aleera would return the looks. Something was going on between their counterparts, and Regina was going to find out.

Regina was working at her office Miner's Day Night. She was staying out of the fray and waiting for her phone to go off to tell her it was time to report Kathryn's disappearance. She was working on the town budget when Sidney came in with a manila envelope and his camera sticking out of his coat pocket. He cleared his throat awkwardly to get her attention. She looked up at him bemused.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I followed Jessica Duncan to Geoffrey Lang's house tonight," he said. He placed the envelope down on Regina's desk.

"I'm I going to like what I see?" Regina asked as she picked it up and slid the photos out.

"They are definitely having a fling," he replied. Regina examined the photos. Geoffrey Lang's first floor was almost entirely windows. In what looked like his living room area, the pictures depicted Geoffrey and Jessica dancing around. She was wearing just her underwear and he had on his black karate pants.

"I would assume that," Regina said judging by the couple's apparel. "But what are they doing in these shots?"

"They are reenacting Dirty Dancing," Sidney explained.

Regina thought that was absolutely ridiculous. While flipping through the pictures Regina found a picture of Geoffrey and Jessica doing the famous lift from the film and that confirmed it. In the next picture, they were falling to the ground. In the next shot, they were taking their remaining clothes off. There was only one picture left after that, but Regina didn't want to look at it.

"That girl is a legal consenting adult," Sidney said. "Him dating his student may be in poor taste, but I don't know what can be done about this."

"Well it's not up to you to figure that out is it?" Regina snapped. Sidney trembled and stepped side to side once. "You can go," she told him. He left walking very stiff. That was when Regina's phone went off, and it was time to visit the Sherriff.

"If this is about the blackout, I've got the guys from the power company down there working on it," Emma said as Regina strolled in.

"That's not why I'm here," Regina said. "I'm here with a concern for a Storybrooke High School student who is in trouble."

"She's pregnant?" Emma asked.

"No!" Regina rolled her eyes. She didn't mean that kind of in trouble. At least she hoped that wasn't the case. "She's having a relationship with a much older man and I worry that he's abusive."

"Is she underage?" Emma asked.

"No, she's turned 18," Regina replied.

"Did it start when she was underage?" Emma asked.

"I'm not sure, but possibly," Regina said. "Her name is Jessica Jane Duncan." Regina could just show Miss Swan the evidence she had, but she knew that it would be questionable how Regina got the shots since Sidney was supposedly not working for her anymore.

"Oh yeah, I know her," Emma said. "She hangs out with Ruby. I'll look into it." Emma looked back down at Kathryn Nolan's phone records. But Regina wasn't done.

"Also," she said. "It's been 24 hours since my friend, Kathryn, went missing. Have you found anything?"

"I found something," Emma replied. "I just don't know what it means."

"Well what is it?" Regina asked. Emma paused and then became tight lipped.

"At this point in the investigation it's best I don't divulge that information," Emma said.

"If you're covering for someone," Regina said after a short stare-off. "If you're not doing your job Sherriff Swan, I'll find someone who will."

Regina left Emma's presence and Emma took a sip of her hot cocoa. Regina was waiting for an excuse to swoop in. Not only did Emma need to break the case, but she also needed to make good on Regina's request to look out for Jessica Duncan.

Regina did feel a little bad about separating Aleera and Alastair. But sister or not, true love or not, in this world there was too many things wrong with their pairing. Their age and the fact that she was his student was one thing. But Regina also knew of his relationship with Jade. She wanted Aleera to get away from him. Geoffrey Lang wasn't good enough for her.

Emma and Mary Margaret were walking down the main strip of town when they saw Ruby at the bus stop talking to Dr. Whale. When Emma and Mary Margaret approached they scared Whale off. As much as he'd love a four way even better than bedding Ruby, he knew they weren't interested and he didn't want them to accuse him of being a creep.

"Was he bothering you?" Mary Margaret asked Ruby.

"The day I can't handle a letch is the day I leave town," Ruby assured her. But then she realized that she was doing exactly that.

"You're leaving?" Emma asked.

"I had a fight with granny, quit my job," Ruby shrugged trying to hold back tears.

"You quit?" Mary Margaret asked. Ruby smiled painfully, Emma and Mary Margaret repeating everything she told them in a form of a question asking something she'd already told them was hurting her more. "Where are you going?" Mary Margaret asked a question that hadn't been answered.

"I don't know," Ruby replied. "Away?"

"Well, busses out of town don't really happen," Emma told her. "You might want a destination first." Ruby was even more saddened by that and was losing control of her emotions. But then Mary Margaret came up with something that lifted her spirits.

"Hey if you need a place to figure things out, you could always come home with us." Ruby looked from Emma to Mary Margaret and watched Emma look to Mary Margaret to silently argue with her about that being a bad idea. Ruby was waiting on baited breath.

"Y-Y-Yeah…" Emma stammered after Mary Margaret silently pulled the It's-technically-my-apartment card. "If it's just for a little while…" Emma stipulated and Mary Margaret accepted. They took Ruby with them and they went home. Ruby hadn't even considered staying with anyone. Ashley had a full apartment and enough mouths to feed with her fiancé and baby. Jessica had her pets, her man friend, and no job.

Emma came into the station around 3 o'clock to find Ruby and Henry using the computer. Ruby was answering the non-emergency phone calls that Emma never had time to get to and she had quite a flair for it. Emma decided to take a risk and offer Ruby a job at the station as an assistant. Ruby was very excited by that and offered to do just about anything. The first task Emma gave her was going to get lunch for them. But before Ruby left she thought of something to ask Ruby.

"I have something else I'd like to talk to you about," Emma said to Ruby when she was raring to go get the food. "Can we talk in my office?"

"Sure! Anything!" Ruby replied. She followed Emma into the glass enclosure and Henry watched them go. He wondered what was so private they couldn't talk about it in front of him?

"You're friends with Jessica Duncan, right?" Emma asked her.

"Mmhmm!" Ruby replied. "Why?"

"Well…" Emma said awkwardly. "I know this will be hard for you to tell me because she's your friend, but…" And then Emma decided to just go for it. "Is she having a relationship with an older man?" Ruby paused and her happy mood faltered a bit.

"Why would that matter?" she asked innocently, trying not to lose her buzz.

"The mayor is concerned about it," Emma said honestly. "She thinks it's an abusive relationship."

"Oh, don't worry, it's not," Ruby assured her. Her euphoria was back. "She's just having fun. She's safe with him. And you know, it's her life."

"Do you know who he is?" Emma asked.

"He lives in a nice house in the woodland estates," she said. "I just know she calls him Jeff. She thrives off of it being a secret," Ruby chuckled. But she got serious again. "You're going to report this to the Mayor?"

"I don't know," Emma said. "I agree that it's just Jessica's business. But Regina is going to want something."

"I'm sorry," Ruby said rubbing Emma's shoulder. "I'll go get the food!" Ruby smiled big and left the office where she bumped into Mary Margaret. She offered to get Mary Margaret food too, but she wasn't interested. She had come to report that David was wandering about the woods, and wasn't acting himself. When Ruby was walking to the diner she got out her phone to text Jessica about what Emma had said.

"Watch out, babe," she texted. "The mayor is on to you and your man."

Aleera got the text while she was chalking her hands for gymnastics. She tried to use her phone with out getting it too dusty. When she read the text she looked up at Geoff. She knew that Sidney Glass had been snooping, but she hadn't expected Regina to be against her relationship. She'd been supportive in the Enchanted Forest. But Regina had been a different person then.

An even bigger issue came out of the shadows when Mary Margaret Blanchard was arrested on suspicion of killing Kathryn Nolan. Because of her infamous affair with David Nolan, everyone was quick to believe she was the culprit. Accept for August and Henry. They all reported to Aleera about it but it was all technically speculation. They wanted to know if she thought it was possible Regina was framing her. Aleera didn't like it but she knew it was likely.

Jefferson was staying out of the drama. He didn't care whether or not Snow White was innocent. He was too obsessed with the curse breaking. He told Aleera he was impatient with the slow strides that the curse-breaking club as he called them had made. He thought they should directly go to Emma Swan and ram proof down her throat. But she told him that wasn't the way to go, and that he shouldn't do anything stupid.

But August agreed that it was a possible option. Jefferson could try his method as long as he didn't hurt Emma. Jefferson said he wouldn't need to. They didn't know when they were going to do it. But one night when August was strategizing with Jefferson they saw from the telescope aimed at the police station, Mary Margaret sneaking out and running for the woods. They decided to intercept her.

"I better get out of here," August said when Jefferson was getting ready to chase after Snow White.

"What? No!" Jefferson pleaded as he was putting his shoes on. "I need all the help I can get!"

"Sorry pal," August said. "But if this plan fails and I'm caught, I won't be able to execute the other possible plans."

"Oh I see," Jefferson said sarcastically as he shrugged on his coat. "You do that then, I'll take one for the team." He opened the door to leave and August followed. Jefferson headed for the woods while August took the road on his motorbike. He knew Aleera wasn't going to like this. He'd give Jefferson the night. When Mary Margaret wasn't back in Emma's custody by dawn, he reported Jefferson to Aleera.

Aleera raced up to Jefferson's estate in her mother's car. She usually only used it when she was grocery shopping, she wasn't a fan of them. But this time she was grateful that her storyline had been that her parents left her a car when they'd gone on their tragic last ride. When she got there she bolted up the steps and barged into the house. When she was dashing through the house she ran into Emma and Mary Margaret leaving.

"Oh!" Aleera gasped in surprise to see them unharmed. They looked at her with the most bewildered expressions. "You're okay!" Aleera managed to say.

"Yes we are," Emma said. "But just what are you doing here?" Aleera gulped. How would she explain her appearance here? But then she remembered that Emma knew she was having an affair, and the town's suspicions were on the man living on the hill. And that was the story she gave. After recovering the hat Emma had made she took both Mary Margaret and Jessica to the station.

Mary Margaret went willingly back into her cell to fool Regina when she arrived. Emma took Aleera to the interrogation room and decided to chat with her about what happened. When Regina saw that Mary Margaret was indeed still in her cell, she had a conversation with Gold in the hallway about how their plan failed. When he assured her that their plan was not moot she left him standing where they'd been talking. But on her way out she glanced at the interrogation room, and saw Aleera in there with Emma. Gold came up behind her and looked where she did.

"And what is she doing here!" she exclaimed to Gold.

"Ah yes, that," he said. She turned to him. "Emma got to the bottom of your concern about Miss Duncan. She was having an affair with an older man."

"Alastair," Regina stated. Rumple chuckled. "What?" she asked.

"Not quite," he said. "Emma thinks it's a different Jeff than you know. She's utterly convinced. She found your little sister on his property early this morning. Miss Ruby even confirmed he was the man."

"Ridiculous," Regina said. She then stormed into the interrogation room. "What is the meaning of this!" She said to Emma. "Release her!"

"Calm down, Regina," Emma said from her seat. "Jessica isn't under arrest. I'm just doing what you asked."

"Yep," Aleera said smugly to them both. "You caught me!" Regina scowled. She knew what Aleera was doing. She was trying to get them all off Alastair's trail.

"Sherriff," Regina said to Emma. "I want you to release Jessica into my custody."

"Custody?" Aleera asked. "I'm not a criminal, or a minor. Why would she give me to you?" Aleera was past being sympathetic with Regina. She was mad that Regina was trying to break her and Alastair up. She was done putting up with Regina's snooping. She agreed with her father that Regina wanted to control her.

"Because you should be around family," Regina said. That absolutely shocked Aleera and Emma. Family?

"Whoa…" Emma said. "What are you talking about?" Aleera wanted to know too.

"The reason I'm so interested in Miss Duncan, Sherriff," Regina told her. "Is because she is my biological younger sister." Emma was dumfounded and Aleera was speechless. Regina was risking being found out as a fairy tale character by breaking the laws of the curse. She was claiming something to be fact that wasn't true in this world. It was only in theirs.

"Did you know this, Jessica?" Emma asked her. Aleera was silent. Should she play along? What good would that do?

"No," she finally said. It was true Jessica Duncan did not know that. Aleera decided to play this situation as her Storybrooke counterpart. "I only found out after my parents death that I was adopted."

"I'm sorry you had to find out," Regina said sitting next to Aleera. "But please, dear. You would be so much happier without all the responsibilities you have being on your own. There's plenty of room in my house for you."

"I'm fine on my own," Aleera claimed, pulling her hand away from Regina's. Regina looked to Emma for support. Emma wasn't keen on letting Regina have another life in her possession. But she understood what it was like to be alone as a young girl. She could see something in Jessica's eyes that reminded her of herself.

"Maybe…" Emma struggled to say. "It wouldn't be a bad idea."

**Well what did you think of this chapter? I think it's better to combine many episodes into one chapter instead of each episode getting it's own at least for now. Season 2 may be different. It won't be long before the curse ends, likely in the next two chapters. Please let me know what you think. Is there a chapter I've written so far that you particularly like a lot? **


	16. Part 2 Ch 7

"What were you doing on Jefferson's property?" Emma asked in her interview with Jessica when she had brought her to the station with Mary Margaret.

"I was checking on him," Aleera said as honestly as she could.

"How did you know we were there?" Emma asked her.

"Who says I knew?" Aleera asked innocently.

"When you ran into us you were pleased to know we were alright," Emma reasoned. "Is there any reason we wouldn't be?" Aleera was silent. Should she tell Emma that she believed in the curse? Did Emma need to think one more person was crazy?

"I'm friends with your son," Aleera said. Emma raised her eyebrow at the girl. A high school senior and a fourth grader were friends? "I'm actually a member of his operation."

"His operation?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, you know, Cobra?" Aleera asked. "I think it's sweet idea. I get to use my vast knowledge of fairy tales and magic when Henry and I talk about it. My friends aren't into that."

"Does he know you are just humoring him?" Emma asked. Now she was asking questions regarding Henry's well being.

"I never said I didn't believe," Aleera clarified. Emma gave her an 'Are You Serious?' face. "I also never said I do believe," Aleera added putting her hands up to defend herself from Emma's glare. "Your son needs someone to have faith in him. He's quite suffocated you know, not being able to enjoy his boundless imagination because everyone tells him he's crazy or needs to grow up. I get how he feels."

"How does this relate to Jefferson?" Emma asked. Aleera put on a guilty face.

"Jefferson isn't the most stable man. He's severely depressed. He misses his daughter. To brighten his days I've told him of what happens in Operation Cobra. I'm afraid he believed it all. He thinks it's the key to getting his daughter back." Aleera didn't like throwing Jefferson under the bus. But the last thing she needed was the Savior impeding the mission to break the curse by distrusting someone who could help.

"I knew most of that," Emma said. "But what I don't know is how you knew to be at Jefferson's house to check on us?"

Aleera didn't have a way to explain it without ratting out August. She could claim Jefferson contacted her that night. But that could be proven wrong with phone records. And Emma probably had a deep enough understanding of Jefferson after that night to know he would have been so one track minded about the kidnapping and hat making to think to inform his girlfriend of his plans.

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to arrest you for being an accessory?" Emma asked.

"Does this town really have time to put another person through the system with Mary Margaret's trial?" Aleera asked. Emma tensed at that. "If anyone finds out she escaped things will only get worse."

"Are you threatening to expose her?" Emma asked.

"I wouldn't do that to her," Aleera said rolling her eyes at Emma's assumption. "She's important to me too," she said defensively. "But what I'm saying is, there's more evidence to erase than her empty cell. How will you explain how you found me at Jefferson's house?"

"You are asking me to let you off without charges." Emma stated, realizing the girl was right.

"You broke the case the Mayor assigned to you didn't you?" Aleera asked. "You unmasked my secret lover. That's all she needs to know."

"I guess so," Emma agreed. But she didn't entirely like it. At that moment Regina burst inside and was furious.

"What is the meaning of this? Release her!" Regina bellowed.

"I'm not moving in with you," Aleera said when she was in the car with Regina.

"The Sherriff said you have to," Regina told her.

"No she didn't, she just thought it would be a good idea," Aleera picked on the technicality. "I'm 18, no one can tell me where to live."

"Being 18 doesn't mean you are capable," Regina said. "Getting into bed with an older man is very misguided."

"Like you've never done that," Aleera mumbled.

She tensed when Regina turned to look at her. She hoped Regina thought Jessica was just making an assumption. Really Aleera was referring to her sister's marriage to Leopold. Normally she felt bad about Regina's loveless marriage. But Regina had the chance to run away when Cora was banished. Aleera didn't feel like being compassionate at the moment. Her sister was making her mad.

"Given time you will be glad that you have someone to care for you," Regina tried to assure her.

"If I wanted a caregiver I would have got myself one," Aleera argued. "I was offered a home with Granny if I worked in the diner. I didn't take the offer. Storybrooke's court system tried to appoint one of the nuns to my care. But I fought for my right to freedom being that I'm a legal adult. Hell, I could have moved in with Jefferson in that big house of his. But I didn't." Regina scoffed at that.

"You think you have me fooled don't you?" Regina asked. "I know your affair is not with that man."

"Oh do you?" Aleera asked. "You think you know better than the Sherriff who deeply investigated me?"

"I definitely know better than her," Regina seethed. They arrived in front of Jessica's house. "Let's get your stuff packed up."

"Did you not hear me?" Aleera asked her angrily. "I'm NOT moving in with you!" She got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Regina got out of the car just as upset. She stalked after her sister and when Jessica tried to close the door on her she stuck her foot inside. She fought her way in and she and Jessica had a stare off.

"Pack your bags, now," Regina said as an order. At that moment the dogs came up from the first floor to welcome their owner home.

"I can't move out," Aleera said. "I have my babies to take care of. I assume you won't let them come with me?"

"No I won't," Regina replied honestly.

"Then we are at an impasse," Aleera said.

"No we aren't," Regina countered. "You can come back and forth from my house to your house to care for them until we find proper owners for them."

"What!" Aleera exclaimed. "I took them in because no one else would! I can't abandon them!"

"It's too much responsibility, dear," Regina said.

"I won't do it!" Aleera cried.

"Yes you will," Regina stated. "Because if you don't adhere to what I and the Sherriff require of you, I will reveal your true lover's name to the public. His practice will be shut down and his livelihood gone. Do you want that?"

Tears filled Aleera's eyes and she stared at the woman who looked like her sister, but wasn't the girl she once knew. This woman truly was evil. Aleera silently consented to her sister's demands. She was now officially in her sister's pocket. She had failed to remain free.

"Now, give me your phone," Regina told her.

"Excuse me?" Aleera asked confused.

"I need to call the school to tell them you won't be coming in today," Regina said holding out her hand. "You are already late, and it will take time to pack you up."

Aleera gave her the phone because she felt she had no choice. She left Regina on the landing and went to pack her stuff. When she was gone Regina first went to Jessica's text messages to find further proof that Aleera was really having the relationship with Geoffrey Lang. But when she looked for Geoff's name, she didn't find it in the message files. What she found though was a text supposedly sent by Jefferson.

"Come over tonight baby, I have some new toys you'll really like," said a naughty text coming from Jefferson's number.

When they'd been driving to Jessica's house Aleera had been fiddling with her phone while arguing with Regina. She had switched Jefferson and Geoff's numbers around to further solidify that Jefferson was the boyfriend. That wasn't going to deter Regina, but she had promised Aleera she wouldn't reveal him if she came with her. She then proceeded to call the school on Jessica's behalf.

Regina didn't want Jessica to look at her like the bad guy. She was doing this for Jessica's own good. If Jessica was in her home she could monitor her better and keep her from being with that no good Geoffrey Lang. She knew he was really Aleera's true love. But his cursed personality was a cad. He was just using Jessica. And he was also bedding his ex-wife. Aleera deserved to be with someone who would only be loyal to her. And it shouldn't be a relationship she had to hide. Besides, Regina thought to herself, if she were really the bad guy, she would tell Jessica about Geoff sleeping with Jade. That would crush her.

When Emma came into the police station the next morning, she ran into Regina leaving. She looked beyond her and saw Mary Margaret looking very tired. Regina was here to toy with her.

"You lost, Madame Mayor?" Emma asked her as they slid past each other in the doorway.

"I was just checking to see if Miss Blanchard was ready to confess," she said. "It would spare this town a lot of inconveniences."

"Right," Emma said sarcastically. Regina was about to leave when Emma grabbed her arm. Regina turned to glare at the Sherriff.

"Let go of me," Regina said.

"There's something we need to talk about first," Emma said. And she ushered Regina down the hallway.

"How is Jessica adjusting to being with you?" Emma asked.

"Is that your business?" Regina asked.

"I'd say it is," Emma replied. "I released her into your custody and I think as the Sherriff I have the right to ask for updates. If she needs help I can help her."

"We don't need anything from you Sherriff," Regina told her. "But I can update you every now and then if you request. She's doing fine."

"Really?" Emma pressed.

"Yes, really," Regina said. Emma gave her a doubtful look. "Oh all right," Regina came clean because the truth of Aleera's adjusting was gnawing at her and she needed to vent. "She is having a hard time with the loss of her independence. She hardly speaks and she doesn't eat much." She felt odd being this honest to Emma Swan. "But that is to be expected," she added to make it seem like she had it under control.

"Has Jefferson come around?" Emma asked. She hadn't heard anything of him since he ran off into the woods.

"No he hasn't, thankfully," Regina said, playing along that Jefferson was indeed the man. "But I don't think he'd dare. None of his rotten kind will come within a mile of my sister. She's lucky to have me to protect her."

"How exactly is she your sister again?" Emma asked. "You never said."

"Do I have to spell out how making babies works, Sherriff?" Regina asked. "I suspect you knew that when you got pregnant with my son." Emma scowled at her.

"I mean, why was she taken away from your family," Emma clarified.

"That's private," Regina said scowling, and then she turned to leave.

"No," Emma countered, grabbing Regina's arm again. "To ensure Jessica's safety, I need to know why she didn't grow up with you."

"My mother had an affair and gave the baby up to save her marriage!" Regina burst out. Emma was taken aback. "Are you happy, Miss Swan?" Regina asked.

"Ecstatic," Emma replied. She let go of Regina's arm and let her leave.

Emma had partially suspected that Jessica was actually Regina's biological daughter. They were far enough a part in age that Regina could have given birth to her as a teen. Emma had secretly hoped that Regina was no better than her. She wasn't sad that she was wrong, but it still tickled her that she got under Regina's skin. It was so often the other way around. A couple days later Emma thought she was going to win against Regina again.

"Can I help you Sherriff Swan," Aleera heard Regina say to the person at the door. She and Henry were sitting at the dining room table doing their homework.

"Yes, I need you to unlock the garage for me," Emma told her. Henry looked at Aleera and smiled. Emma was about to reveal that Regina was responsible for framing Mary Margaret. Aleera was more realistic. She had a feeling Regina had this covered. Regina closed the door so Henry and Aleera couldn't hear the rest. But Henry was giddy. He was sure Mary Margaret would be free within the hour.

When Regina came in a little while later she looked smug. That isn't the kind of face one has on when they've been caught committing a crime. If she'd been accused of murder and framing she wouldn't have come back in the house. She'd be in the back of Emma's police cruiser. Something had happened.

When Regina went into the kitchen Henry bounded out of the house and ran after Emma. Aleera stayed where she was and waited for Henry to come back. When he did, he just shook his head to her and ran upstairs. Regina then came out of the kitchen with her purse and looked around for Henry.

"Where'd Henry go?" she asked Aleera.

"Bathroom," Aleera said. Regina found that acceptable and she headed out. Regina looked like she was glowing. She looked incredibly victorious. It was an evil kind of happy she was releasing in the air.

"I have an errand to run," she told Aleera as she was leaving. "Tell Henry I'll be back later and we can have dinner." If Regina was still like she had been in the storybook, she was going to rub it in Snow White's face that she won. And this time, it seemed like she was going to win.

"You're despicable," Aleera said to Regina from the dining room table. She jumped up at that moment and stepped angrily towards her sister.

"I don't have time for your grudge against me for moving you here," Regina scolded.

"Mary Margaret doesn't deserve this!" Aleera pleaded.

"Excuse me?" Regina asked. "I'm not doing this to her on purpose."

"But you are doing it to her," Aleera pointed out Regina's bad choice of words. "Because you want revenge," Aleera added. Regina flinched at being called out on the lie. Aleera was the only one she ever felt bad lying to. But she recovered when she realized it was Snow White they were talking about.

"We are done talking about this," Regina said. She opened the door and left. Aleera followed her out onto the sidewalk. She was really considering revealing to Regina that she remembered everything. She wanted to have an honest conversation about Regina's hatred of Snow White. She wasn't going to, but she wanted to have as honest a conversation as she could.

"Whatever you think she did to you," Aleera said to Regina's back. Regina stopped to listen without turning around. "It probably wasn't intentional." She was referring to what Snow White had done to Regina. Regina paused and then turned.

"You can't murder unintentionally," she said. And then she left the gate. Aleera understood what she meant. Murder is premeditated. Regina wanted Aleera to think she was referring to Mary Margaret killing a woman who broke her and David apart. But Aleera knew she meant that Daniel's murder was premeditated because Snow White ran to tell Cora, who was sure to murder him.

Aleera went back inside and up the stairs to check on Henry. She knocked and came into his room to see him curled up on his bed crying into his pillow. She came over to him and sat next to him. She reached over and ran her fingers through his hair. She wanted to curl up and cry too. Someone they cared about was having her life destroyed for no good reason. Neither of them would ever forgive Regina for this.

**This chapter was originally over 5,000 words. I decided to split it into two chapters. I try not to write chapters longer than 4,000 words because I don't want it to be too long. **


	17. Part 2 Ch 8

While Aleera was walking to school from yoga she saw August and Emma talking in front of the diner. Was he trying to get her to believe at a time like this? She walked past at a hurried pace because she would be late for school if she didn't. She was walking across the alley near the diner when she heard someone scream bloody murder.

Her protective instinct took over and she ran to the sound. She came around the right side of the diner just as Emma came around from the left. She was running toward a mess on the ground. It was a person.

Aleera came up slowly and saw August bound the corner with Ruby at his heels. Aleera watched Emma roll the person in the muddy travel clothes over. It was Kathryn Nolan.

"Kathryn?" Emma said in shock. August bent down to assess the situation.

"We need to get her to the hospital," he said.

"Forget that," Aleera said. She had a sudden adrenaline rush for some reason. Probably for the fact that the best evidence of Mary Margaret's innocence they could ever come across was lying in the gravel. "We need to get to the courthouse!"

August hoisted Kathryn up to take her out of the cold. He went into the diner with Ruby and she went to call an ambulance. Emma was just as impatient to get to the courthouse as Aleera was and ran to her cruiser.

"Wait up!" Aleera called out to her. They made it to the car and Emma was scrambling for her keys.

"Go to school, kid," she said.

"Dude, no way!" Aleera said. She opened the already unlocked passenger door and slid in.

"Fine, whatever," Emma said. And then she got in too.

Emma and Aleera ran into the courthouse. They mutually pushed the double doors open and Aleera let Emma go ahead. Aleera stood near the doors while Emma ran to the center of the courtroom.

"Kathryn Nolan has been found alive!" she informed the room. The entire room gasped. Mary Margaret's blank face filled with emotion. And Regina looked at Emma bug eyed. Then she started to seethe. By chance Aleera's roving eyes found her father. He was looking unperturbed by the announcement. He met her eyes and nodded to her. As if to say, 'you're welcome.'

The bailiff released Mary Margaret from her handcuffs and she immediately ran into Emma's arms. Aleera melted at the sight of a mother and daughter having their first hug. But she was pulled from her glee when her arm was grabbed tightly. She looked up to see Regina. She started dragging Aleera out of the courtroom.

"You are late for school!" Regina scolded. "We need to get you there now!"

"I can get there myself!" Aleera yanked her arm from her sister. She turned away from Regina and saw Gold standing by the doorway. She knew he had something to do with Kathryn's reappearance, or probably everything to do with her entire case. A couple days later Aleera went to Gold's shop to confront him about it.

"What did you do?" Aleera asked him.

"You didn't think I'd let the Savior's mother take the fall did you?" he asked her honestly.

"But how?" Aleera asked. "Regina killed her."

"Says who?" he asked. Aleera then realized that there had never been a body found.

"But the heart was a match," Aleera argued.

"I'd say you were underestimating your sister because you think she couldn't doctor lab results," Rumple said. "But then I'd say you were overestimating her if you really thought she wouldn't jump at the chance to let someone else do her dirty work no questions asked." Aleera stared at him amazed.

"You got her to let you take care of Kathryn," she stated. Her father nodded. When she took that all in she slapped his shoulder. "Why couldn't you tell me?"

"Parents tell their children only what they think they need to know," he told her. Aleera groaned and rolled her eyes.

"When will you start trusting me with the whole truth?" she asked him. Rumple stared at her in silence. He looked like he was contemplating something. She gave him an understanding look that she had never given him before. Her face said, 'let me in.' He decided to confide something in her.

"I think Bae is here," Rumple told her. Aleera was stunned beyond belief.

"What?" she croaked. "How? Who?" She was having a hard time putting a sentence together.

"The stranger," he said. Aleera furrowed her eyebrows.

"August Wayne Booth?" she asked. "There's no way."

"It's just a hunch," he said. "I don't have much to go on. But I think he believes in the curse." The cat had Aleera's tongue. August had told her a few months back not to tell her father that he believed. August was working with her and Henry. He seemed very against being on the Dark One's radar.

That could make him Bae. But he'd also flat out told her he was Pinocchio. That character wasn't accounted for in Storybrooke either. His leg was made of wood! But why wasn't the rest of him? It was pretty random that a so-called living puppet only had one wooden limb. Then Aleera remembered something from her dreams of Bae that resonated.

"Around the time Bae fell through the portal," she led. "Didn't he have a wound on his knee?"

"Yes," Rumple replied. "His right knee."

"Was it infectious?" she asked.

"It was a scrape," he said. "What are you going on about?" he asked her very annoyed at her dramatic pauses.

"When he was torn from you and had to fend for himself…" she said very slowly, tensed for her father's reaction. "Could the wound have gotten so bad that he'd need an amputation?"

"What would make you ask that?" Rumple asked. He sometimes couldn't fathom how her mind worked.

"Because August W Booth's right leg is made of wood," She replied. Rumple stared at her in wonderment. Could she be right? But just then the door to his store burst open. They could hear the person from Gold's office.

"GOLD!" Regina yelled. Aleera and her father had one parting look, and then Rumple went to attend to Regina while Aleera snuck out the back. He came up to the counter and tilted his head to Regina. He waited for her to speak. He knew it was coming. "You broke our deal."

"I broke one deal in my life dear, and it certainly wasn't this one," he told her.

Unbeknownst to her, she was sticking him even harder with the imaginary knife that was killing him over the loss of Bae. And now that he could possibly have found his son. He didn't want to feel that way.

Regina was having Henry and Aleera clear up the diner plates when Aleera got a fun idea. Regina had forbid Henry from going to Mary Margaret's welcome home party. But Aleera knew Henry really wanted to go. So she thought of a ruse.

"Hey Henry," she said. "Would you mind coming with me to take care of the dogs?" Aleera asked him. He looked up at her with the dishtowel in his hands. Regina was busy at the sink. He looked Aleera in the eyes and she winked at him. He had a feeling she had a plan up her sleeve so he decided to go along with it.

"Sure!" he said.

"Hey!" Regina scolded him. "What about the dishes?"

"We'll do them later," Aleera told her. "Right now the dogs need us more." Henry left the towel on the sink and followed Aleera out of the kitchen.

"You need to get a move on finding them homes!" Regina yelled to them from the sink when they were in the foyer.

"I'm working on it!" Aleera called back. When she and Henry were off Regina's property Henry asked her what was up.

"What are we really doing?" he asked.

"Going to your grandma's welcome home party," she said. Henry's smile got so big.

"What about the dogs?" he asked.

"I walked them this afternoon while Regina was busy getting her hair done," she said. "They are all set. Tonight is for us." Henry hugged her around the waist as they walked and she put her arm around his shoulder.

"What are you two doing here?" Emma said when she opened the door and Henry ran right into her for a hug. "Regina let you come?" she asked, hugging her son back.

"Regina doesn't know," Aleera told her. Emma tried to give her a disapproving look, but she was happy to see Henry. Henry went to sit at the table with August and Aleera socialized with the dwarves. Aleera looked over and saw her father by himself in the other half of the apartment. He didn't look like felt comfortable being there.

Aleera went up to him and checked on him. He told her he was fine. He was there because Mary Margaret asked him to. And he was going to talk to Emma about August. Henry and August conversed for a while and then Henry got up to give Mary Margaret her presents.

"Hey, I have something for you," he said handing Mary Margaret the large card.

"Why thank you," she said. She opened the card and read it aloud. "We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan." The group all laughed awkwardly at the kid's very literal compliment.

"It's from the whole class," Henry said. "And I got you a bell!" he said shaking her present box.

"Jeeze, bud, let her open it first," Aleera commented as she came back into the group. There was more laughter.

"Thank you," Mary Margaret told Henry. "Tell everyone I'll be back soon."

"Okay," Henry said.

"Henry we should get you home before your mom finds out," Emma told him. She nodded to Aleera to listen to her too. "That won't be pretty."

"Freedom is so brief these days," Aleera moaned. August playfully patted her on the butt when she walked past. If he was indeed her brother, that gesture was weird. When Emma opened the door to let Henry and Aleera out, David was there.

"Hey guys," he said to the people at the door. "You leaving already?" he said to Henry. Henry told him he had homework. But Aleera watched Emma turn to Mary Margaret for her approval. It looked like David was not making the guest list judging by Mary Margaret's reaction.

"She's kinda tired," Emma said to her father. "I think if you just give it some time."

"I just wanted to…" David started to say. But Emma interrupted him.

"Hey why don't you guys head home with David," she said.

"Okay," Henry replied. Aleera nodded. There would be no harm in that. They waited while David gave a lingering look and then they headed out.

"If Regina asks you," Aleera said to David when he was taking them home. "You came across us dog walking." David was a tad confused by that. But he went along with it.

It was always tense at Regina's house. She was very controlling and strict. She was big on proper meals and bedtimes. She was also very nosey. She did it because she wanted to feel included in their lives. But Aleera didn't like it. She was fine with Regina caring about her, but not the way she was doing it. Her good intentions were wrought with selfish ends.

Although she made Aleera move in against her will. She expected Aleera to act like she truly lived there, and help out around the house. That was the one thing Aleera didn't mind. A couple nights after the welcome home party Aleera ran into Gold when she was taking the trash out. He looked furious.

"Oh boy," Aleera groaned. "What happened?"

"I made a fool out of myself in front of Booth and it's your fault!" he snarled. He swung at Regina's trash bins with his cane and knocked them over.

"How is it my fault?" she asked him offended.

"You went on and on about how he could be him, and all your points were invalid!"

"You were the one who suggested he was Bae," she pointed out. "I was trying desperately to defend your argument because I wanted to believe it. I never said for sure he was Bae." Rumple scoffed at that. He was too mad to take any responsibility. "But now," she said. "I know my second guess is correct. I'm not wrong this time."

"And what's that, pray tell?" he jabbed.

"Pinocchio," she told him. He stared at her in disbelief. She figured he was remembering the seven-year-old Pinocchio he knew, and how he hadn't seen him in town.

"His leg is made of wood," Rumple mumbled, probably talking aloud to himself to think easier. "He said he's dying…" Aleera heard that and was startled.

"Wait he's what?" Aleera asked her father who was ignoring her. August had never said anything about that.

"Brave, truthful, and unselfish," Rumple continued to mumble.

"Father, talk to me!" she broke through his conversation with himself. He broke out of his trance when she called him father. Aleera realized she hadn't called him that in decades. It was awkward for a minute. But then Rumple got back on track.

"He's Pinocchio eh? I can work with this," Rumple said. And then he walked away. Aleera stared after him very confused. It looked like she and Pinocchio would be having a little talk soon. He had been keeping things from her.

When Aleera came to August's hotel room she found the newest copy of the Daily Mirror on his coffee table. It had a picture of Sidney Glass on the front, saying he had been apprehended in the kidnapping of Kathryn Nolan and the framing of Mary Margaret.

"Nice huh?" August said when Aleera finished reading it. "She got her most loyal worshipper to take the fall for her crimes. What a bitch." Aleera turned abruptly at that and slapped him across the face. "Ow!" he said. "Last I checked you weren't fond of her either!"

"I didn't hit you for that," Aleera said. "I hit you for what you did to my father."

"Oh that," he said massaging his jaw. "I never thought you were protective of him."

"Making him think you were Baelfire so you could get what you wanted was despicable," she told him.

"I suppose you think I deserved the pain he nearly inflicted on me then?" August asked.

"No," she said. "I just don't get why you felt you needed to lie to him to get his alliance when I could have introduced you to him and gotten it for you that way."

"I should have trusted you to do that," he said. "But I was positive the knife was a sure way to get what I wanted. I was wrong."

"And I could have told you that if you'd asked," she scolded him, flicking his nose. "What are you going to do now?"

I'm going to hit Emma with the truth," he said after he winced. "I'm going to tell her who I am and what our story is."

"You think it's time?" Aleera asked.

"It is for me," he said, pulling his sleeve down to reveal his arm that was now wooden. "I'm almost out of it."

**The next chapter should be the one where the curse is broken. I don't imagine it should take any more. But the story won't be over then. There's plenty to happen in seasons 2 and 3. **


	18. Part 2 Ch 9

"Kids! You are going to be late for school!" Regina called up the stairs to her son and sister. Henry and Aleera came out of their bedrooms at the same time but Aleera made her way down the stairs first.

"I'm not kid," she muttered under her breath. She walked past Regina and got her lunch from the dining room table.

"Did you have breakfast?" Regina asked them. Henry answered yes, but Aleera didn't. "Jessica?" Regina asked suspiciously. Aleera finally turned from her spot and begrudgingly said no. "Well then eat something!" Regina scolded her. She flounced to the kitchen to get an apple and a glass of milk for her sister. When she handed the apple to Aleera the girl looked at it apprehensively.

"I don't think this one is poisoned," Henry whispered to her.

"Henry, enough!" Regina exclaimed. She handed Aleera her glass of milk and she lead them to the door. She drove with Aleera in the front seat and Henry in the back seat with both of their backpacks and Aleera's gymnastics duffel bag. When they got to the school Henry hopped out with his backpack and scurried off but Aleera got out more slowly. She was trying to finish her glass of milk. She hadn't drunk much of it in the car because it was a bumpy ride.

"Do you want to take the glass with you?" Regina asked. Aleera replied by dumping out the remaining milk and handing the glass back to her sister. She turned abruptly and walked away. "You're welcome," Regina muttered at how ungrateful Jessica had been. Their relationship was still tense. When Aleera had gone into the school she threw the apple in the trash. She didn't actually think it was poisoned. She just didn't want it.

When Regina picked them up from school that day she tried to encourage them to talk by asking about their day. They both said it was fine. And that is all they willingly gave up.

"Oh come on, guys," she said, trying to speak at their level. "Tell me something! Entertain me!"

"I didn't realize that was our job," Aleera said. She wasn't entirely in the mood to talk. She had been feeling off lately, but through no fault of Regina's imprisonment of her.

"We have a science fair coming up," Henry piped in.

"Great!" Regina said enthusiastically. "What will your project be?"

"I don't know," he said. "I wanted to do a volcano, but everyone wants to do that."

"Have you ever tried making the tornado in the 2 liter soda bottles taped to each other?" Aleera asked.

"We aren't allowed to do that one," he said. "It's too easy."

"That shouldn't be up to Miss Blanchard to say," Regina chose to pick on her. "If you find it worthwhile, you should do it. To hell with her frigidity." Aleera saw Regina smirking. Anything to get her to lay off of Snow, anything! When Henry was reminding her that Mary Margaret wasn't back yet Aleera spoke up.

"I got in an argument today with a classmate," Aleera mentioned. She hoped Regina would appreciate feeling involved, but she reacted seriously.

"Do I need to call their mother?" she asked.

"It wasn't like that!" Aleera groaned. "We were discussing a book we had to read. It was a healthy debate."

"Oh, pardon me," Regina blushed. "I guess I should have let you finish."

"Sha!" Aleera said sarcastically.

Aleera was dropped off at gymnastics and Henry was taken to a session with Doctor Hopper. They finished at the same time and they walked home together to take care of the dogs and to do their homework. Regina came home from her office around dinnertime to see Henry and Aleera bonding over their assignments. Aleera was helping him with some of it and they were laughing together. Regina wished they'd let her in.

Later that night when Regina was enjoying a glass of spiked apple cider, she heard the sound of Aleera retching upstairs. She ran up to see Henry pacing outside the bathroom door.

"What's going on?" she asked him. She saw he was holding an empty half-gallon of milk.

"I dared Jessica to chug a carton of chocolate milk," he cried. "When she did she got sick." Regina took the half-gallon jug and swatted his butt with it. She then went into the bathroom to check on Aleera.

"That was extremely foolish of both of you!" she told them while holding Aleera's hair. "I don't want to find out about either of you doing it again!"

Aleera didn't improve much over night. She threw up a few more times even though she didn't eat any more. Regina suspected that Aleera might have already been sick before. She had been weirder than usual that whole day. The next morning Henry went off to school on his own. He went so early to go meet Emma at Granny's because he finally found the Pinocchio story in the book. Aleera hadn't come downstairs yet so Regina went to check on her. They had been up till midnight the night before from Aleera getting sick.

"Honey?" Regina said, knocking on Aleera's door as she entered. She found Aleera curled up on the bed in her pajamas of an obsidian blue cotton long sleeved shirt, red boxer shorts with a red plaid waistband and slipper boots with forest patterns. "Do you want to go to school today?"

"I don't know," she moaned.

"Are you still feeling sick?" Regina asked, feeling her forehead.

"I don't know!" she cried. "I just feel weird. I'm tired and tender and constipated. The nausea was really bad last night!"

"Maybe it's the flu," Regina said. "Why don't you stay home today?"

"Sha…" Aleera said. It seemed to be the way teenagers said yeah these days. Or at least Jessica did.

Regina let her be and went downstairs. She went to the kitchen to look for bland foods to make a breakfast of for her sister when she saw Henry's Tron lunch box still on the counter. She picked it up and went to the stairs to call up to Jessica to tell her she'd be right back. She didn't expect a response so she left.

Aleera stayed in bed all day. She felt better and worse off and on. By evening she was feeling her best. She decided she would finally eat something other than the crackers that were in her room. She took a shower first and got dressed up in frumpy yet comforting clothes. She was putting her hair into a ponytail when she heard a violent crash of breaking glass coming from downstairs. She came out of her room to see Regina standing in front of her entryway vanity looking pissed. She looked up and saw Aleera watching her.

"Go back to sleep dear," she told her. And then she walked to the kitchen. Aleera didn't listen and came downstairs. She saw that the wall by the mirror was stained with something redish purple. She saw shards of a wine glass and mirror glass on the floor. She went to see what was wrong with her sister. She went into the kitchen and saw Regina fetching a dustpan.

"What's wrong?" Aleera asked.

"Nothing," Regina said.

"Sha right!" Aleera exclaimed. "You just broke your favorite mirror! The one that if either Henry or I touched with our finger tips you would have our heads! Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing you need to be concerned about," Regina said very distraught.

"No! Hey!" Aleera said, getting in Regina's way before she could leave the kitchen. "We're sisters aren't we? Talk to me. Let me help you." Regina looked like she really wanted to tell her. But she didn't know how.

Aleera put her arm round her sister's waist and led her to the dining room table. She took the dustpan from her sister and put it on the table next to where she had her sister sit down. She put her hands on her sister's shoulders and started massaging them. Regina was open to it and she put her head down and rested it in her hands with her elbows on the table.

"What's up?" Aleera asked. Regina was lost in the massage. Back in the Enchanted Forest Aleera used to give her massages. She was glad Jessica had the ability too.

"Everything is just crashing down," Regina cried. "I can't win!"

"What's there to win?" Aleera asked. She twisted her thumbs into the bottom of her sister's shoulder blades.

"Everything," Regina said vaguely.

"You can't win every game," Aleera said kneading her sister's neck. "Loss is a part of life."

"But I've lost so much!" Regina cried. "Winning can't be this infrequent."

"Maybe you need to re-evaluate what winning and losing is?" Aleera asked.

"I don't know," Regina moaned.

She was releasing a lot due to the massage. But she was afraid to be completely honest. What would Jessica think if she knew what was truly bothering Regina? Jessica had accused Regina of having it out for Mary Margaret. And she knew Jessica loved Henry and didn't approve of how Regina was around him. She needed Aleera back. She would still disapprove. But at least Regina could be her real self with her.

When Aleera was sleeping that night she got a text message in the middle of the night. Her phone said it was from Geoff. She jumped to read it because she hadn't heard from him in a while on topics other than the classes she took with him. The text said. "Not that I care, but the Savior and Henry are leaving town." Aleera was confused as to why Geoff would send her this. Why would he call Emma the Savior? And then she remembered that she'd switched Geoffrey and Jefferson's numbers around to trick Regina.

She silently ran to Henry's room and opened the door. The bed looked like someone was in it. She went around to the other side and found that it was really all his pillows stuck under the blanket to look like he was there. Aleera started to panic. Just then she heard the heavy footsteps of Regina. She quickly ran to the dark corner on the wall with the door. She saw Regina peak in. But instead of checking to make sure Henry was actually under the blankets, she seemed satisfied and left. But she looked panicked too for some reason.

Aleera found Henry's walkie-talkie he shared with Emma on his bedside table. She took it and went back to her room down the hall. She hoped that Emma had her walkie-talkie with her. She was going to find out what was going on.

"Henry?" she hissed into the walkie-talkie. "Henry where the hell are you!" She waited anxiously for him to respond. Finally he did.

"Heading back into town," he said. "Emma is bringing me. Over." Aleera finally breathed and she got back into bed. She kept the walkie with her in case Henry called back with a different plan. She kept her door open a crack so she could see him walk by when he snuck in. When he did she bolted out of bed, ripped open her door, and pulled him inside.

"What the hell were you doing out this late?" she whispered. She could barely see him from the dim lighting of the hallway.

"A Mission Impossible," he said. "I had to convince Emma not to kidnap me." Aleera face palmed.

"Henry…" she groaned.

"The crisis was averted!" he hissed. "You don't have to worry. She WILL break the curse!"

"How?" she asked. "We've been working on her for months and nothing has happened. I think it's a lost cause."

"No it's not!" he argued with her. "Don't stop believing! Don't give up!" he scolded her. And then he left to go back to his room.

While Regina appreciated Jessica's support the night before, things got worse. Her apple tree was dying and Rumple had no desire to help her keep the curse intact. She was desperate. So, she enlisted Jefferson. She knew he wouldn't be keen on helping her. So she had to entice him.

"Jefferson," Regina said when he walked in. "So you got my message?"

"How could I miss it?" he said. "You know I watch her."

"It must be so painful, having your daughter Paige be oh so near. Did my sister make it better?" she taunted him as she walked to her drink cart.

"Grace!" he growled. "Her name is Grace. And what's between your sister and me is not like that! It's someone else!"

"…I know," Regina sneered.

"What do you want?" he asked her.

"Your help," she replied.

"And what makes you think, I won't kill you after everything you've done?" he asked trying to look threatening.

"Because you don't have it in you," she answered simply. "IF you did you would have done it 28 years ago when I brought you here. Because you know if I'm dead, you'll never get back to your daughter. And I have a way for us both to get what we want." She handed him a glass of apple brandy. But he refused it by putting the card she'd left him in it.

Regina was confident he wouldn't kill her. But it was true that her death could end the curse. She feared that was how Emma Swan was going to do it. Even she couldn't think of another way. Rumple had never told her that it was True Love. When her kiss hadn't revived Daniel, she had lost faith that True Love was the solution to anything.

While Regina and Jefferson worked with the hat Henry was conversing with August about how to stop Emma from leaving. That was when he found out who August was. And Aleera was going to Geoff's house to tell him something she'd just found out. According to the test she'd bought at the Dark Star pharmacy, she was pregnant.

Although she'd only taken one of the tests in the box, she was positive. It made sense. The way she was feeling, the fact that she'd missed a period. Time was moving now, it was possible to get pregnant and give birth. She was excited even though she was pretty much screwed. Regina would flip out. She'd definitely have to admit that it was Geoff's kid. But, she was graduating soon from both school and Geoff's classes. They could come out with it now couldn't they? She knew he loved Teagan. He'd love his real child too.

But when Aleera arrived on the edge of Geoff's property with his back door in sight, she was crushed. She saw Jade leaving his house wearing very sexy clothing, kissing Geoff good-bye. He was wearing an open robe and boxer shorts. Aleera hadn't been able to see him much with Regina watching her like a hawk. He'd clearly moved on to someone more available. Even though this girl was married to Lee Michaels. Aleera ran off before either of them would see her. She was completely destroyed.

"I'll be back later tonight babe," Jade said seductively to Geoff. "Me, my stuff, and our little girl."

"I can't wait," he said. She licked his chin.

"Thanks for the deed to the house," she said.

"Thanks for offering to take care of everything," he said.

"Well lucky for us I can forge your signature," she chuckled.

"I'll see you then," he said. And then she kissed him one last time and flounced off. Poor Geoff. His world was about to be turned upside down.

"Jess, what's the matter!" Ruby asked very concerned when she took Aleera into the backroom.

"He cheated on me!" Aleera cried. "With his ex wife!"

"Your man friend?" Ruby asked. "I didn't know the guy on the hill was married ever?"

"Not the man on the hill!" Aleera cried. "Geoffrey Lang!"

"You've been sleeping with your dance instructor?" Ruby said shocked. "I knew you had a thing for Dirty Dancing, but oh my god! Has it been him all along?" Aleera nodded through tears.

"When do you get off your shift?" Aleera asked her, trying to calm herself down.

"Soon," Ruby said. "Want me to go kick his ass? I can't. I could key his car though?"

"No," Aleera said. "I need you to help me move out of Regina's house. I can't stand to be there anymore!" What could Regina do to her? She had broken it off with Geoff like she wanted. There was nothing keeping her there.

Regina came home with the apple and started to prepare the turnover. Unbeknownst to her Jessica and Ruby were upstairs packing up her stuff. She didn't even hear them when she was in the foyer talking to Emma about Henry. When she was in the kitchen with Emma was when Ruby and Jessica started carrying her stuff down. There wasn't much, but Regina caught them on the last trip down the stairs.

"Jessica what on earth are you doing?" Regina asked her angrily. Her euphoria was put off by what she was seeing.

"Give us a few minutes," Jessica said to Ruby. Ruby took the rest of Jessica's things from her and took them out to her car. When she was gone Aleera spoke.

"I ended it with Geoff," she said.

"Well, great," Regina said. "But what does that have to do with all of your belongings in that trollop's car?"

"I'm moving out." Aleera shrugged.

"Why?" Regina asked.

"Because I don't want to live here anymore," Aleera replied.

"Nothing has changed," Regina told her. "You still aren't capable of taking care of yourself."

"I took care of myself the last 28 years pretty well thank you very much," Aleera said.

"I don't…" Regina was about to say she didn't agree. But what Aleera said finally hit her. She blanched.

"Did I stutter?" Aleera asked. "Your majesty?"

"You remember!" Regina exclaimed.

"Yes!" Aleera growled very annoyed. "The jig is up, your highness! I've been playing you all along! You and everyone else!"

"Why!" Regina said. "How is this possible? Why'd you keep it from me?"

"To protect myself from you," Aleera told her.

"What would I do to you?" Regina asked.

"Oh gee I don't know…what you've done to everyone else in your family?"

"You honestly think I'd kill you?" Regina asked very hurt.

"No," Aleera admitted. "But honestly," she said through tears. "I wouldn't mind it. Alastair has gone back to his wife Hazel. Or Jade, as she is known here."

"I suspected as much," Regina said in spite of herself. She then realized what she said and she blanched again. Aleera was staring at her with her mouth in an unnatural shape.

"You knew!" She cried. She started to sob. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you!" Regina insisted.

"You think lying to me is better?" Aleera cried. "I deserved to know! If I knew this would never have happened!"

"What wouldn't have happened?" Regina asked. She was then distracted by a trickle of blood coming down between Aleera's legs. Aleera felt it and looked down.

"Well never mind I guess," she cried.

"You thought you were pregnant?" Regina asked, feeling for her sister. "Well thank goodness you aren't." That offended Aleera and she started pacing. "We should get you cleaned up..." Regina said coming over to Aleera. But Aleera pushed her off.

"I should have numerous kids by now!" Aleera cried. "Alastair and I had plans! I should be going gray beside him. Have a grandkid maybe. You should be grey-haired too. I've been stuck in this 18-year-old body for 40 years. I can't stand it!"

"Time will continue to move forward," Regina assured her. "You will get to grow up. You will find someone else and have your children with him. Everything will work out." That made Aleera slap Regina. The force made Regina step back and reach to touch her cheek out of reflex.

"Only you could be so hypocritical," Aleera said. "You tell me that I have to move on from losing my true love? That's laughable." Aleera left after that. Regina stood in the foyer by herself for a little while. But then she remembered her victory over the Savior, and decided to cheer herself up by gloating to Mr. Gold. But things only got worse when the hospital called her to say Henry had been admitted.

While Emma and Regina were working together to save Henry, Geoffrey was waiting anxiously for Jade and Teagan to arrive. They were going to move back in with him and they were going to be a family. He hadn't contacted Jessica to tell her. But he knew she'd find out through word of mouth. His cousin Lee was certainly going to be pissed. He couldn't wait. He heard a car pull up and he ran to his front door. He opened it to see Jade standing there alone. He looked over to her car and saw that Teagan was still in the back seat.

"Isn't she going to come in?" he asked her bouncing on his heels.

"No," Jade said. "Not until you get out of here."

"What?" he asked confused. And then Lee came out from the other side of the porch. Geoff stepped back shocked. "What's going on?"

"What's going on is that you are on private property," Lee said. "This is our house."

"What are you talking about?" Geoff asked. But then he remembered giving Jade the deed to the house so she could add her name to it. "What have you done?" he asked her.

"What I was always doing," she said. "Getting my house back. You really shouldn't take comfort in the fact that someone else knows how to do your signature, Geoff."

"You bitch!" Geoff exclaimed. He then looked to the car to see Teagan looking sorry and scared. "You won't get away with this! Teagan is still legally my child! I will take her and this house back!"

"Think again," Lee said. "Forging your signature is good for more than just taking a house from you. You signed away your rights to Teagan this afternoon."

"You admitted everything to me," Geoff said. "I have your word. This won't stand." Lee and Jade looked around tauntingly.

"I didn't say anything," Lee said. "Did you?" he asked Jade.

"All I did was tell him to get off my property," she said. "And that's all anyone else will be able to figure out since there is no other witness." Geoff looked to Teagan in the car.

"Don't even think about it," Lee said to Geoff. "Teagan wouldn't lie about her parents. She loves her mom and dad. She feels nothing for you."

"You've got an hour to pack a bag," Jade said to him. "It shouldn't be hard. Most of everything here belongs to us." Geoff hated Jade all over again. He couldn't believe he'd ever loved her.

The news of the danger Henry was in managed to miss Aleera. She was hold up in her house trying to forget the world. She did have a sense that something was going wrong. But she misread it as having to do with her situation. Regina didn't think to call her. Geoff also missed the drama. He never had a tie to Henry so it didn't affect him for that reason. But he was also lost in his own pain. He spent the night at Granny's, but early the next morning he went to Jessica's house. She was his fallback. She'd be supportive and help him. Aleera went to the door thinking it was Ruby or one of her dance friends. But it was Geoffrey.

"Can I come in?" Geoff asked her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Uh…to talk?" he asked confused. Why was she so unwelcoming? He squeezed past her on the landing and went upstairs. She slowly followed him. What did he want? "So…" he said to her. "My ex-wife's a bitch."

"So you've said," Aleera commented. "Didn't stop you from nailing her." Geoffrey flinched.

"You…know about that?" he asked. "Shit, how'd you find out? Does the whole town know?" Aleera didn't respond.

"Aw, Jesse, baby," he said taking her face in his hands. "Don't be mad. I was just being an idiot." She pulled her face from his hands and turned away from him.

"Why are you here?" she asked. "You have her, why do you need me?"

"I don't have her," he said. "She tricked me out of my house and out of rights to my kid." Aleera turned back around.

"What?" she asked stunned.

"She was using me," he said. "To get what she wanted. I was weak to her charms. I wanted Teagan back so badly I was desperate. But now I've lost her. I need you now more than ever, babe…" He reached for her but she backed away.

"Peddle your wares somewhere else," she said harshly. "I'm done with you."

"Oh come on, Pooh Bear!" he whined. "I can change. For you!"

"No you can't," she said. "You will never be him."

"Never be who?" he asked confused.

"No one," she said. She was referring to Alastair. "I'm in love with the man I felt you were. But you aren't him. I need to accept that. And you need to leave." She hated saying these things to Alastair's face. But she needed to accept that he'd never be Alastair again. She would try to do what Regina said. She looked back up to see Geoff still there. "What are you deaf!" she yelled. "Leave!" And without another word he left.

When he went out the door Aleera went to her room to watch him out of her bedroom window. When she looked out she couldn't see him. He must have gone the other direction. She looked out the window in other directions, desperately trying to hold back tears.

But then, she felt some kind of wave go past her. Other people on the street seemed to feel it too. She looked at passersby on the street and saw them exalting and embracing each other. What was happening? She saw the Zimmer-Tillman family in a group hug and the father belting, 'I knew I would find you!'

Could it be? No, there's no way. And then, Aleera heard her front door ripped open and slammed shut. She jumped at the sound and waited on baited breath. And then she heard her name being called. But not the name she expected.

"ALEERA!" came the voice. It was Alastair. Aleera's faith came back.

**Let me know what you think! I thank you all for reading and I would love to hear from you. Anything. I'll start writing season 2 soon. I'm going to take a few days off. **


	19. Part 3 Ch 1

Aleera dashed down the hallway to the top of the stairs. Alastair was standing on the landing in between the two flights of stairs in front of the door. She tried to go down the stairs but tripped and fell into his arms. They held each other close for a while, not saying anything. They loosened up in order to look at each other face to face. But when Alastair leaned in to kiss her, she let go of him and pulled herself out of his arms.

"What?" he asked her. She was staring at him with the most broken face he'd ever seen. "What's wrong?"

"I…" she tried to speak. "I-I haven't forgiven you."

"For what?" he asked confused. But then it washed over him all that his Storybrooke counterpart had done. "Aleera…" he began to speak, but she had gone back up the stairs and had gone into the open living room.

"I told myself that it wasn't you doing this to me," she said with her back to him. "I told myself we could pick back up where we left off and forget." She then turned to face him and said, "but we can't."

"I wouldn't have treated you like I did if I had known," he assured her.

"A sliver of everyone's true self was meant to exist in their counterparts," Aleera said. "Whatever part of you stuck around in this world, it wasn't in relation to how you felt about me."

"Geoff was slime," Alastair said. "I will do whatever I can to make up for what he did. Rest assured, I love you tenfold to what he did."

"Did he care about me at all?" Aleera asked.

"He picked you over the other legal aged students," Alastair said. "He was addicted to you."

"But he didn't love me," Aleera stated.

"He was the lustful type," Alastair said. "That's why he was weak to Jade's seduction. As Alastair I would never go back to Hazel. That sliver you are talking about? Was his desire to get Teagan back. Miranda might not be my biological daughter, but she was always mine."

"But now she's been taken from you again, in an even worse way," Aleera said.

"Yes," Alastair agreed. "Despite remembering who I am, Geoff's desire to get Teagan back is still strong, because I truthfully want Miranda back."

"And your house?" Aleera asked.

"In order to reverse all that my cousin and ex-wife have done yes," he said. "But I don't care about the house. Just you and my daughter."

"You want to live here?" Aleera asked.

"If you'll have me," Alastair replied. They stared at each other for a moment. But then they heard a rumbling. They turned to the large window in the front of the living room and saw a purple haze coming for them. Alastair strode over to Aleera at the window. "What is that? Another curse?"

"No," she said. "At least not like the one we just woke from."

"Then what?" he asked.

"Magic," she replied, turning to him.

When the smoke was about to pass through the house Alastair took Aleera in his arms and threw them to the ground covering her with his body. He didn't want her to be hit by it. But it was unavoidable. As the smoke passed over them Aleera could feel a kind of pulse she had been missing for a while come back. When the smoke dissipated, Alastair pulled himself and Aleera up.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, checking her over like there would be something he could see. He placed his hands on either side of her face and looked into her eyes. She shed one tear, and dematerialized. Alastair stumbled forward and looked around for her. He was about to call out her name when she rematerialized above him and fell onto his back.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed at the shock. He stood hunched over at the sudden weight and she slid off of him.

"I'm a bit rusty," she said. "But no, I am not okay."

"How'd it come back?" he asked. "Was it part of the curse breaking?"

"No," she said. "Someone had to bring it back."

"Well," he said. "Let's go find out who." He took her hand to escort her to the door, but she pulled her hand away.

"I don't care to find out right now," she said. "We have things to discuss."

"The road to forgiveness is going to be a long one," he commented. He followed her to the couch and she lay out the directions for getting down that road.

It involved taking their relationship slower. After their very physical relationship for nearly 30 years, Aleera wanted respect and communication. Couples Therapy with Archie was thrown about. Alastair would get to move in with her because his house was gone and as hurt as Aleera was she didn't actually want to be separated from him. But until they made some progress in putting their relationship back together, they would be celibate. They needed to win each other back.

Alastair and Aleera scoured the town looking for someone to talk to for information. But everyone was very anxious and riled up. They were no more knowledgeable than the couple. Finally they ran into the Blue Fairy who told them Rumple had brought magic back, and that Regina was locked up at the Sherriff's station. Her magic was even rustier and off kilter than Aleera's.

After talking with her they went to the diner to go see Henry. Blue had told them he had been under the sleeping curse. Aleera wanted to make sure her nephew was okay. Granny was guarding Henry with her crossbow. Neither Granny nor Red wanted Aleera near Henry.

"We know who you really are," Granny told them when they'd denied Aleera and Alastair entrance into the diner. "No one in Regina's pocket is getting near Henry."

"We aren't in her pocket." Alastair assured her. "My wife just has the unfortunate luck of being related to her."

"Wife?" both Ruby and Aleera said at the same time. Alastair was taken aback by Aleera's confusion.

"Did you forget we got married before the curse struck?" he asked.

"We technically aren't," she said. Their 'wedding' had been pretend. "I think we best go back to calling ourselves engaged at best."

"I don't care what you are," Granny said. "I don't trust you anyway."

"It's okay, they're cool," Henry said coming to the door, looking at them in between Ruby and Granny. "Aleera is, I don't know about him."

"Jeeze I'm getting it from all angles," Alastair groaned.

"Your Geoff is showing…" Aleera muttered.

"Henry, your family was very clear we had to keep you safe," Ruby told Henry bending down to look him in the eyes.

"Not from my aunt," he said to her. He squeezed in between them and came down the steps to take Aleera's hand. "Come on," he said, pulling her along. "You too," he added looking back to Alastair. Alastair adjusted his shoulders and followed them in. Granny still glared at him and gripped her crossbow tighter.

"Who are you?" Red interrogated Aleera and Alastair.

"I thought you said you knew?" Aleera asked.

"I know Regina didn't lie about you being her sister," Red said. "But I don't technically know who you are."

"I'm still Jessica," Aleera said. "You trusted her."

"I don't trust Aleera," Red said. Granny nodded in agreement.

"You should," Alastair said. "She was greatly involved with getting this curse broken."

"Emma did that by herself," Granny said. "No one saw you around last night," she said to Aleera. Aleera was silent because Granny was right. Nothing she'd done since Emma came to town had helped in the end.

"She did what she could to stop the curse from happening," Alastair said. "She also did what she could to prepare you all for it."

"It's true," Henry said. "She made this book," he said putting it on the table.

"What did you do to stop the curse from happening?" Red asked.

"I tried to reverse the evil in Regina," Aleera said.

"Well, nice job," Granny said sarcastically.

"The Blue Fairy can vouch for us," Alastair told them. "We are good people. I was a knight in King Leopold's guard and Aleera was a lady in waiting. Snow White trusted us."

"She was just a child," Aleera reminded him. "When I disappeared into thin air and you left the guard she probably forgot about us. What will matter to everyone is that I'm related to Regina. Right?" she asked Ruby and Granny. Both of them nodded. "I probably should also add that I'm Rumplestiltskin's daughter." At that Granny pulled Henry behind her and lifted her crossbow again.

"We definitely can't trust her," Granny scowled.

"Yes we can," Ruby said, which shocked everyone. "Eventually," she added. "You can prove yourself to us."

"Look how well that worked with her sister," Granny countered.

"Aleera never forgot who she was during the curse," Alastair said. "The girl you knew all that time?" he said to Red. "Was Aleera. She comes from darkness yes, but she is light." Aleera squeezed Alastair's hand and he kissed the top of her head. Red nodded assurance to Granny and made her lower the crossbow.

"That absolves Aleera," Red says. "But not you," she said to Alastair.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked her.

"You cheated on my friend!" Red's Ruby personality came out. Granny evilly chuckled. Henry folded his arms and scowled at Alastair. Aleera just smirked.

"Do you want me to co-opt your speech and defend you?" she teased him.

"I'll earn back my stripes eventually," Alastair said confidently.

After palling around with Henry, Granny, and Red at the diner for most of the day, Aleera and Alastair went home when Red took Henry to check up on his family. Aleera and Alastair had been comfortable together for a couple hours, but when they were home alone and preparing for bed, their tenseness came back. Alastair gave her privacy when she dressed for bed. When she was dressed she came out to the hallway to talk to him.

"Your guest room doesn't have sheets on the bed," he said. "I can make it myself if you tell me where they are."

"You don't have to sleep in the guestroom," she said. "You can share with me."

"But…" he said awkwardly. "What about our celibacy?" he asked.

"Sexless spouses still share beds," Aleera told him. "We can make it work." She pulled him along and she had him help her pull the blankets down. Alastair took a closer look at her and recognized the plaid flannel shirt she was wearing.

"I know that shirt," he said. "I was wondering where it went. You stole it."

"Your scent never changed," Aleera said. They climbed into bed and situated themselves. "Good night," she said to him. She wiggled over to him to kiss his nose.

They mutually turned out the bedside table lamps. They lay there in silence and only had each others breathing to determine what they were feeling.

To end the awkward silence Aleera sat up and turned on her TV and pushed play on the last film she'd left in there: Dirty Dancing of course. They lazily kept track of the film while they tried to conk out. As they tossed and turned to get comfortable they eventually ended up cuddling. They didn't say anything about it, and neither of them tried anything. But it was what it took to finally calm down.

The next morning Aleera got a text from Ruby. It said that Snow and Emma had fallen down the portal hat that had been destroyed when Charming fell onto it. They had no way to get them back, but they were going to try. Aleera offered whatever help she could give them, but she was stumped too. Even if the hat hadn't been destroyed, it couldn't get them back to this world. If they mended the hat they'd have to make the choice of permanently relocating to the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't unanimous that everyone wanted that.

"Come on…" Regina said to the little candle in front of her on the coffee table. It flickered on and off, but didn't keep a flame. She got very mad at it. "Light, damn you!" she growled. In anger she threw it into the fireplace where it shattered. When she was seething the fireplace erupted in flames. A decent fire was burning in it. Regina smiled victoriously. But it hadn't been her who lit the fire.

"Sorry to burst your bubble," came a voice from the doorway. Regina whipped her head around, and saw her sister. Aleera had her hand outstretched from sending the fire. She was silently cheering that she had managed to pull off what she'd just done.

"Aleera!" Regina exclaimed. She walked toward her sister, but Aleera stiffened. Regina backed up. "What are you doing here?" she asked earnestly.

"Checking on you," Aleera said. She looked her sister over seeing her tailored suit. "This is how you dress when you hide in your house from angry villagers?" Regina scowled at her. "No jeans? No cute track suit?" Aleera asked, teasing her.

"Have you come just to taunt me?" Regina asked gruffly. "I imagine you wouldn't want to be associated with me."

"The damage is done," Aleera told her. "Everyone knows who I'm related to. But they don't see me as a threat."

"Can I borrow whatever miracle you used to achieve that?" Regina asked. Aleera scowled at her, but then softened.

"How are you doing?" she honestly asked. Regina harrumphed and walked away to glare into the fire. "Seriously, Regina," Aleera pleaded. "How are you doing, sis?"

"My son and my magic is gone," Regina said not looking at her. "This town is waiting to crucify me." She then looked up from the fire to look at her sister. "How on earth do you think I'm doing?"

"You honestly weren't prepared for this?" Aleera asked her. "You ripped everyone's happiness away."

"The curse wasn't supposed to break," Regina countered.

"Curses are made to be broken," Aleera said.

"Just like promises?" Regina asked. "You left me when I needed you."

"Are we talking about two days ago or are we talking about something else?" Aleera asked. Regina rolled her eyes.

"Of course what happened two days ago!" she growled. "What else is there?"

"I guess I'm the only one saddened by being torn from you by my father all those years ago," Aleera said. "Maybe this could have all been avoided if I'd had more time with you."

"Oh you think I wouldn't have turned if you stuck around?" Regina asked.

"Yes," Aleera said. "Things would have been completely different if we'd run away together. You and I would have settled down somewhere with Alastair, and maybe someone for you…"

"Oh yes, how is charming Geoff?" Regina taunted her. "Off making more babies with his wife?"

"Ex-wife," Aleera corrected her. "We reconciled."

"You just let him back in?" Regina criticized. "After what he did?"

"I didn't let him off easily if that's what you mean," Aleera told her. She continued to scowl at Regina, which gave Regina a thought.

"…You aren't letting me off easy either, are you?" Regina asked her sister.

"You don't have his excuse," she said. "You were completely aware off all the harm you did to me. And to Henry." Regina got very mad about that.

"Get out of here!" She snarled. "Your father already tried to kill me over Belle, I don't need you judging me about Henry."

"What?" Aleera asked. Rumple tried to kill Regina? And who was Belle? Not the Beauty and the Beast Belle, was it? What did she have to do with her father? Regina got some pleasure out of that. She'd had so little this conversation.

"Your father's true love," she said. She took pleasure in Aleera's stunned face. "How about you pay her a visit?" she said, getting an idea about how to get her magic back. She then confidently walked past her sister and headed for her front door. She was going to get her mother's book from Rumplestiltskin.

While Regina was nervously looking out the door to make sure there were no villagers with pitchforks outside, Aleera dematerialized. Her dismount was good, but her landing needed work. Like before she materialized in mid air and crashed down onto the floor. Alastair came out of the kitchen where he had been doing dishes to pull his weight around his new home.

"This is becoming a problem," he laughed. She got up off the floor and scrunched her face at him.

"How was your visit?" he asked seriously.

"Found out my dad has a girlfriend," she said.

"Shit, no way," he was stunned. Before he could ask more Aleera was down the stairs and out the front door. She was going to see this for herself.

**I split this chapter in half because it had reached 5,000 words. Also, I decided to make season 2, part 3 in the story even though it is still in Storybrooke. I thank you for reading. Please don't be afraid to comment. I'm sure you are wondering when this story will end. I think it could last as long as the first half of season 3. I hope you all stick around that long. **


	20. Part 3 Ch 2

She wanted to know what this Belle woman was like. Was she evil like her father? Disney's Belle wasn't. But her love in that film had been an animal man. How'd things get twisted and make Rumple her beast? Aleera came up to his house and knocked. She was just going to meet this girl and introduce herself. It shouldn't be hard. The door opened to a brunette woman with blue eyes. She looked only a few years older than Aleera. They were the same height too.

"Um, can I help you?" this Belle asked. She looked nervous, as Aleera suddenly was the same. What should she say?

"Is my Dad here?" Aleera blurted out.

"Uh, your Dad?" Belle asked.

"Mr. Gold. I'm Aleera," Aleera clarified. Belle looked mind blown. Had she known about Aleera?

"Oh…" she said. "No, he's not. But would you like to come in?"

"Okay…" Aleera said awkwardly. She followed Belle into the house. Aleera had never had a reason to come into Rumple's house. She looked around and then back at Belle.

"Do you want me to call him?" Belle asked.

"No, that's okay." Aleera said. She was nervously staring at her shoes. She found enough courage to speak up after a minute or two. "You had no idea I existed did you?" she asked.

"No, actually I did," Belle said. "I just didn't know your name."

"Well, my Dad isn't the type to brag about his kids." Aleera said critically. "I didn't know you existed at all. Outside your movie, anyway."

"My what?" Belle asked.

"Never mind," Aleera said.

"Shall I tell him you stopped by?" Belle asked.

"He won't care," Aleera said insecurely.

"Of course he will," Belle said reassuringly putting her hand on Aleera's shoulder. Aleera shrugged away from the contact. How did someone so sweet get tied up with Rumplestiltskin? There must be more to her.

"I'll just go," Aleera said. She whipped around and bolted out the door. Belle followed her to the door and called out to her, but Aleera kept going.

Belle could tell that the girl was uncomfortable about their meeting. Maybe she was sad her father had moved on from whoever her mother was? Belle decided to take a walk and go tell Rumple what happened. He and his daughter obviously needed to talk. When Belle got to the shop she saw Queen Regina leaving. She was immediately tense at the sight of her captor. But Regina didn't see her. After a moment Belle went into the store.

"Sweetheart," Rumple said, cheering up at the site of her after an annoying dealing he had with Regina. "Decided to pop by?" He waited expectantly for her to come to kiss him hello, but she stayed in the center of the room. "What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Aleera," she said. "She stopped by." Rumple deeply exhaled from his nose and became serious.

"Why did she stop by?" he asked.

"She was looking for you," she said.

"Aleera never comes to my home," he said. "She comes to the shop." He then smirked. "She went there to see you."

"Why is that funny?" Belle asked. "Why shouldn't we meet? She's your family, I should know her."

"Yes, you're right," he said to her. He walked to her and stroked her face. "I'll have to arrange a more proper meet and greet for the two of you." Belle smiled at his consideration.

"I'd like that," Belle said. "She was awfully shy, but so pretty. She has your mouth. She can make a stern face just like you. I bet she's just as stubborn."

"That's the perfect word for her," Rumple smiled. He then kissed Belle. "We'll stop by her place tonight, how is that?"

"Perfect," she said. "I'll head back to the house. I'm getting used to how your kitchen works. I'll have supper ready."

"That will be lovely," he beamed. He kissed her again, and she headed out the back way. As he was having that, 'hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave,' feeling as she left, someone else came into the store. He turned to see Charming. His good mood was gone again. He gave David a potion to locate someone he needed to find. He then got the bad news that he wouldn't be able to leave town without losing his memories. After smashing a couple showcases, he sulked in his office and wouldn't open the door to anyone.

After David convinced everyone to stay in town, he had to go save Henry from Regina. He was driving with Ruby back into the center of town when she had an idea. If David was going to go after an empowered Regina, he could use some magic of his own. She told him of Aleera and said she would help him get Henry back. She texted Aleera and she met them outside of Regina's house.

"You're okay with possibly taking down your sister?" Charming asked the girl.

"It won't get that far," Aleera told him. "Together we can talk her down."

"It's been my experience with her that that doesn't work," he told her.

"I respectfully disagree," Aleera said. "Let's just see how this goes." They ran up to the door and Charming kicked it open. Regina jumped from her seat at her dining room table and turned to see Charming brandishing a sword and Aleera was behind him looking just as determined.

"I wanna see him!" David exclaimed. He saw Regina stalking toward them, but Aleera could tell she wasn't going to attack. She could read emotion off Regina's face better than David could.

"Henry, come down!" she called up the stairs. She was standing very still because David was holding a sword to her throat. "You won't be using your sword," she told him.

"Whatever you conjure I can fight," he threatened.

"She means you won't need your sword," Aleera clarified. At that moment Henry came down.

"Henry, you are going to go home with David," she said to Henry.

Charming was surprised that it had been that easy. But Aleera had been confident that the high Regina had been on in her attack of the town hall would have gone down once she and Henry finally got to have an honest talk about what she had done to him. Henry had rehearsed with Aleera a future talk he'd have with his mother when Aleera lived with them. Charming and Aleera listened to Regina apologize to Henry and when he went to go pack his things they all talked about what Regina could do to redeem herself. She agreed to everything, but she had one understandable stipulation.

"I can see I just launched you on a heroic quest," she said. "Just make sure you also talk care of my son."

"That I can do," he told her. And then Aleera chimed in.

"I will help," she said.

"Thank you," Regina said to her. When Henry and David were heading out the door, Aleera hugged her sister goodbye.

"You can do it," Aleera said to her. "You will earn him back. Just don't give up!"

"I won't," Regina said. And then Aleera followed the guys out while Regina looked on. Aleera parted ways with David and Henry at the diner. She was heading back to her place when she bumped into her old dance friends, Tina and Audrey.

"Oh my god!" Audrey said, hugging Aleera using an accent she hadn't had before. "Who are you really, Jess? Are you actually related to Queen Regina? And what's this I hear about the Dark One and you?"

"You aren't scared of me?" Aleera asked her.

"Oh please! I've dealt with worse," Audrey said fluffing out her wild red hair. "I'm Merida. This is Kayley," she said pointing to Tina.

"We should have a slumber party," Merida said. "Will Geoff mind us sleeping over?"

"How'd you know about us?" Aleera asked stunned.

"You really thought you ever fooled us?" Kayley laughed.

When they got to Aleera's house they banished Geoff to the upstairs and they took over the den on the ground floor. But their partying was brought to a grinding halt when some visitors arrived. Alastair came out of the bedroom where he had been drowning out the sounds of giggling girls with one of the Die Hard movies and went to the door.

"Gold," he said startled at the last person he thought would come here.

"Living off my daughter's good will I see," Rumple criticized.

"Rumple…" Belle warned. "Hello, I'm Belle," she said to Alastair.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Alastair" he said. "Aleera is hanging out with her friends at the moment. Perhaps you should stop by some other time."

"Oh, we didn't mean to interrupt," Belle apologized. She took Rumple's hand but when she tried to take him down the porch steps he stepped past the threshold.

"We'll see her now," he demanded. Alastair wanted to argue further, but he knew Gold wasn't going to give up.

"Aleera, can you come up here?" Alastair called down the stairs to her. The music they were playing was turned down and Aleera came bouncing up the stairs. She froze on the landing when she saw why Alastair had called her up. She was wearing very skimpy pajamas and did not expect to have to address company.

"Uh…hi!" she said very embarrassed. She tried to tug her shorts to make them longer, but there was nothing she could do.

"We're so sorry to interrupt the fun," Belle said. "But your father wanted to properly introduce us."

"I see," Aleera said. "Why don't I go dress into something more appropriate and then we can talk."

"Yes, do that," Rumple said sternly. He didn't like seeing her in that state either. Aleera went to her room to put on some pants and Alastair led Gold and Belle into the living room.

"What is your relation to her?" Belle asked Alastair.

"Her husband," he said. Rumple scoffed at that.

"Fine," Alastair recanted. "Her fiancé."

"Not much better," Rumple mumbled. Aleera then came out dressed more appropriately and sat down with them.

"Alastair why don't you tell Merida and Kayley that I'll be up here for a little while," Aleera said to Alastair. He didn't want to leave her but he got up. On his way out he told Gold.

"She better not be in statue form when I get back," he threatened. Rumple bristled at that and Belle cleared her throat nervously.

"Sorry about that," Aleera said to Belle.

"Oh it's fine," Belle assured her. "How did you two meet?"

"We've known each other our whole lives," Aleera said. "What about you two? Or let me guess. He bartered you for your father and as you lived in his castle you fell for one another?" Aleera guessed, using her knowledge of the Disney film.

"Actually, yes," Belle replied. "How did you guess?" Before Aleera could answer Rumple interrupted.

"Belle why don't you join the party downstairs while I talk to Aleera,"

"But we've barely had a chance to talk with each other," Belle said.

"I'm sure whatever you have to say you can say in front of your girlfriend," Aleera teased her father. Belle sensed that Rumple had more secrets he was keeping from her. She looked at him sternly, but he pleaded with his eyes that he needed to be alone with Aleera. She didn't like it, but she gave in and went downstairs.

"What is it…Dad?" Aleera asked, throwing the 'Dad' on tentatively.

"We won't be able to get to Bae," he said.

"What?" Aleera asked. "Why?"

"We can't cross the town line without losing our memories," he replied.

"Oh that," Aleera said. She did already know about that. "Surely we will find a way. No impediment has ever stopped you permanently." Her father chuckled at that.

"You're back with that oaf?" he asked about Alastair.

"He has a name you know," Aleera said. "Have you ever tried saying it?" Rumple was silent for a bit.

"He better not hurt you," he said through a blush.

"Belle better not hurt you either," Aleera said. Rumple smiled in spite of himself. "I'm glad you have her," she told him. "I hope you are happy for me too."

"Well…" Rumple had to think about it. "He'll do." They sat for a little while in silence. Eventually everyone grew restless downstairs so Alastair and Belle came up to see if the father and daughter were done talking.

"Yes I'm done being monopolized," Aleera said. She and Rumple came down to the landing. Aleera shocked everyone by giving Belle a hug. "Thanks for stopping by," she said.

"I'm sorry we interrupted your party," Belle said. "Your friends are very nice."

"We'll have to invite you to the next one," Aleera offered.

"I would like that," Belle said.

"We should get going," Rumple said, cutting the girls' bonding short. He didn't know how he felt about his daughter and girlfriend being in cahoots. Who knew what they would say about him to each other when they were alone.

"Yes, you should," Alastair said. Aleera elbowed him for being rude. "It was nice to meet you, miss," he said to Belle. "You are welcome any time." He shook her hand and then cut a quick look to Rumple that said. 'but not you.' Belle and Rumple left and Alastair headed back up the stairs.

"Had enough of the girls?" Aleera teased him.

"Plenty," he said. "I can't believe I put up with them for 28 years." Aleera laughed at that and went back downstairs.

"Finally!" Merida said. "What did your dad want?"

"Nothing important," Aleera lied.

"Is his girlfriend really Belle, from Beauty and the Beast?" Kayley asked.

"I guess so," Aleera said.

"I really want to watch that movie now," Kayley said.

"Hell, let's watch our movies too," Merida said. "See how much they screwed up our stories." The girls laughed and then they popped Brave into the DVD player. After that they watched Quest for Camelot. And then they watched Beauty and the Beast, which by then they were tired enough that they fell asleep.

When the school opened back up they gave seniors the option of taking their final exams early if they were ready to graduate. Aleera jumped at the chance because she remembered every bit of the last 28 years and she wanted to be finally done with high school. What with not being able to leave town she wouldn't be able to go off to a university. So she took over teaching dance and gymnastics while Alastair kept teaching karate.

Along with that, Alastair started fighting to get his daughter back. He had to prove that his signature had been faked. He knew there were some other holes he would find, like how no officiator found it strange that he was not at the signings. He was glad that Aleera had taken some of his responsibilities so he could focus on getting Miranda away from Hazel and Damian. But he knew that as soon as he had Miranda back, he and Aleera would be starting therapy. But he hoped they could work out everything on their own.


	21. Part 3 Ch 3

The fraud trial was not going well. Aleera watched from the viewer's seats while Alastair sat up front with his lawyer across from Hazel, Damian, and Albert Spencer. They managed to get the district attorney to defend them. Alastair had Bashful the dwarf. He wasn't very intimidating.

"Mr. Lang, your signature on the documents matches the samples you gave us," said the judge.

"They were examined by top notch graphologists," added Spencer. He disliked Alastair for being connected to King Leopold, the father of Snow White.

"But my fingerprints aren't on them are they?" Alastair said.

"Please let your representation speak for you," the judge scolded.

"Uh, yes…" Bashful said awkwardly. "His fingerprints weren't on them. Just Jade Michaels' and the officiator's."

"Lifting fingerprints from paper can be tricky," Spencer argued. "…because paper is an uneven surface. It is possible they were missed. If my people had done the fingerprint work it would have been found."

"So because your people did the graphology work of course it was found to be a match," Alastair chimed in. Bashful was too timid to fight the way Alastair needed to.

"Please, Mr. Lang, let your representation do the talking," said the judge again. Bashful winced at that.

"Your honor…I request…that another group of graphologists look at the signatures."

"This trial has already been postponed several times," the judge said. "The district attorney's team are more than capable and they would not falsify evidence." Aleera scoffed at that.

"Can I have an hour recess?" Bashful asked.

"I don't know what good that will do you," the judge said. "But yes, one hour. Everyone could use some lunch." He had never respected Bashful's abilities because he didn't have the guts for the job. Bashful had fought in wars and been trusted by Snow White and Prince Charming. But he was still very shy and that didn't make a very good lawyer.

When the gavel was banged Alastair got up to go to Aleera. He walked past Hazel and Damian who smirked at him. He saw Miranda sitting in the front row on her parents' side of the courtroom and she looked morose. He got to Aleera and she hugged him.

"Don't lose hope," Aleera told him.

"I'm getting nowhere with Bashful," he told her.

"I offered to get my dad to represent you," Aleera told him.

"You know how I feel about him," Alastair told her. "Bashful's price isn't as steep."

"I could have gotten you a freebie," Aleera argued. "I could have found a reason why my dad owed me a favor."

"I don't want you working with him after what he's done to you," Alastair argued back. "Besides, this is my problem. And I don't work with evil."

"But I do?" Aleera asked him insulted. Alastair groaned and tried to explain himself despite how aggravated he was, but just then Rumple entered the courtroom with Charming.

"I need your help with something," he told her.

"See?" Alastair said gesturing toward the evil.

"This is highly unusual!" Aleera exclaimed. "What do you want, Rumple?"

"Have you seen Belle?" he asked.

"No, why would I?" she asked.

"He thinks she's missing," Charming said.

"Thinks?" Aleera asks. "You mean perhaps she left?" she accused Rumple.

"Help us," Rumple begged.

"Uh, do you see what I'm doing right now?" Aleera asked. "I don't have time."

"You have an hour," Rumple pointed out. Aleera furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Don't you want to know she's okay?" he guilted her. "I know you like her."

"Fine," Aleera said. "You have one hour. And you will owe me."

"Thank you," he said. He then put his hand on her shoulder to lead her out, but she shook him off.

"Aleera!" Alastair called.

"I won't be late!" she claimed. Alastair watched her leave and then turned to see Hazel and Damian watching, enjoying his pain even more. But they faltered when Miranda came walking toward Alastair.

"Hey tiger," Alastair said cautiously to Miranda. He wasn't sure whose side she was on.

"I hate this," she told him.

"I'm sorry this is happening," he told her. "But I lost you once, I don't want to lose you again."

"I don't hate you for it," Miranda said. Then she turned back to look at Hazel and Damian. "I hate them!" Alastair turned her back around and kneeled in front of her.

"Hey, hey, don't say, 'hate.'" Alastair told her. "That word means more than people think."

"I'm not Teagan Michaels," Miranda said. "I'm Teagan Lang. I'm Miranda, your Miranda!" She then fell into his arms and hugged him. Damian came up and tried to pull them apart.

"Come on, angel, baby, go back to your seat," he was tugging her and Miranda was resisting. "Teagan!" he scolded.

"It's Miranda!" she yelled. She stomped on Damian's foot and stormed off. Alastair stood and he and Damian had a stare off.

"You know in custody battles…" Alastair told him. "They ask the child who she'd rather be with. I might not beat you on the fraud case. But I have a fighting chance on the custody."

"You wish," Damian spat. And then he went back to his seat with Hazel. She was busy scolding Miranda. She spanked Miranda and Miranda went back to her seat crying. She looked to Alastair and he nearly cried too.

Aleera didn't have a bond with Belle so her tracking skills weren't any good. But she was able to help sway Red to help her using her wolf senses. It led them to the flower shop of Moe French. They discovered he'd done something horrible to her and they needed him to take them to Belle.

"You know," Aleera said to Moe when they were riding in his flower truck. "You were so cute and benign in your Disney movie."

The rescue group and Moe got to the tunnels where they could hear Belle shrieking and a tunnel cart rolling her away. Rumple latched some magic onto the cart and pulled it back. When it came to a stop the handcuff around Belle's wrist popped off. Charming helped her get out of the cart and Rumple went to assess her.

"Belle, are you alright?" Rumple asked her.

"Uh I think so," Belle replied.

"Do you remember who I am?" he asked her.

"I do Rumplestiltskin. I-I remember," she told him. He went to hug her but she refused him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Thank you for what you just did," she told him. "But that doesn't change that you're too cowardly to be honest with me."

"I tried to tell him that Belle, come with me darling," Moe said. Aleera gave an, "are you kidding me?" glare to the back of Moe's head. He was more screwed up than her father.

"After what you just tried to do to me?" Belle asked incensed. "You're no better, father! You don't get to decide what I do or how I feel. I do. If either of you cared about me, you would have listened. I don't want to see either of you again." And then she left with Ruby following behind her.

"Belle…" Rumple tried to call her back, but Aleera stopped him.

"She needs you to leave her alone," Aleera said. "She's right about everything." Rumple tried to argue but Aleera silenced him. "You can try to get her back later. Right now she needs space and time." Rumple didn't like it but he knew she was right. He left the mine with Aleera following. For attempting to brain wipe Belle, Charming decided to book Moe.

"Wait a minute, Dad," Aleera said as she followed him. "I know you're hurting. But I did you a favor and you owe me."

"What could you possibly want right now?" he asked her upset.

"My hour is up," she said. "Alastair needs both of our help." They turned to see Charming leading a handcuffed Moe out of the mine. "Stop by the courthouse when you're done!" she called out to him. "I've got two more people for you to arrest."

"Mr. Lange," Albert Spencer said to Alastair. "Over the past 28 years you have been having an affair with a Miss Jessica Duncan, a high school student in your dance class. Your attraction to young girls is questionable for a man trying to gain custody of a female child."

"Mr. Spencer," the judge chided. "This is not the custody case. This isn't relevant."

"Allow me to refer why it is?" Spencer asked. The judge denied his request. Alastair was looking around nervously. The hour had ended and Aleera hadn't come back to court. He needed her here. Things hadn't improved and he was going to lose. But just when he was about to lose hope, he heard Aleera's voice behind him.

"Your honor!" she called out. "I can prove that Geoffrey Lang didn't sign those papers."

"You are not a lawyer or law enforcement," Spencer argued. "Whatever you dug up isn't admissible."

"You don't even know what it is," Aleera told him. "And Mr. Gold is a lawyer."

"Kindly stop being dramatic and tell us?" the judge asked. Gold gave one look to his daughter and then stepped forward.

"May I see the documents?" Gold asked the judge.

"What for?" Spencer asked.

"I can reveal who the true writer of the signature is better than any employee of yours," Gold said.

"You're going to use magic in a non-magic court?" Spencer asked. "Your honor, you cannot allow this."

"I have no reason to want Mr. Lang to win this case," Rumple said. "Why would I lie for him? He has nothing to offer me that I'd want. Besides, if your clients didn't forge his signature, there will be nothing to worry about will there?" Spencer was silent.

The judge handed Gold the documents and with a wave of his hand, Geoffrey Lang's signature turned blood red. A ray of light like a rainbow shot out of the parchment and aimed itself at Jade Michaels. It shone on her, and her hands turned red as in the term: caught red handed. Everyone gasped and Hazel tried to hide her hands under the table, but the light shone evermore.

"I believe you have your forger," Gold said. Damian was livid and Hazel was terrified. But Alastair and Aleera were completely elated. Gold left the courtroom because he wanted to find a way to win back Belle. Charming ended up coming in soon after when the judge dismissed the case in Alastair's favor.

"Perfect timing, Sherriff," he said to Charming. "You can book these two for fraud." Alastair ran up to Aleera and pulled her into a loving embrace.

"I will be ever grateful for this," he told her. "But you shouldn't have done it. Your father's prices are insane."

"Not this time," she said. "I told you I'd get you a freebie." Alastair smiled at her finally getting the joke.

"That's the only reason you left my side isn't it?" he said.

"Well, I did care about Belle too," she told him.

"How can I ever repay you?" he asked her.

"You already promised me something you'd do for us," Aleera said. "Therapy with Archie." Alastair nodded, finally giving into the idea. Aleera looked down to see Miranda coming up to them. Alastair followed her eyes and released her so he could talk to Miranda.

"We won, hon," he told her.

"I'm yours again?" she asked.

"My signature from the custody form was legally struck off," he said. "But you are still your mother's."

"What if she won't let me see you?" she asked.

"I won't let that happen," he told her. Miranda looked from him to Aleera. Aleera was looking at her friendly, but she didn't know what this girl would think of having a stepmother only 8 years older than her.

"You helped my dad win," Miranda said to her.

"Yes I did," Aleera replied.

"Thank you," Miranda told her.

"You're welcome," Aleera said.

"Teagan!" Hazel called out to her. Her hands were still red. They probably would be for the rest of her life. "Mr. Nolan you must let us go home. We can't be jailed! My daughter needs me!"

"You don't have enough room to hold us at the station for long!" Damien argued. "Let us be free on our own recognizance. We won't do anything like this again. You know this town isn't set up for long imprisonments!"

"I'll place you under house arrest then," Charming said. "Teagan will be free to come and go as she pleases. But you will stay."

"More like apartment arrest," Alastair said. "That house is mine."

"Apartment arrest then," said Charming. And then he carted them away. He had to fight to get them to go with him because they struggled. Alastair put his arm around Miranda and Aleera's shoulders. He knew it had to be hard for his daughter to watch her parents taken away like that, even if Miranda didn't consider Damian to be her father.

Alastair, Aleera, and Miranda followed a little bit after and were headed for home. They wouldn't be able to get into Alastair's house today so they were headed for Aleera's house. But when they got outside, they saw a site they would never forget.

Damian elbowed Charming in the groin and made a run for it. He would probably run past the town line where no one would follow him. He'd lose his memories but at least he'd be free.

"You bastard!" Hazel called after him.

He was abandoning her again. Just like he had when she found out she was pregnant with Miranda. He couldn't look past being expected to deal with something difficult and care for anyone else but himself. When Charming was trying to recover, Hazel pulled his gun out of his holster and aimed a couple shots at Damian's retreating form. It took her four shots and only two hit him. One got him in the hand and the other the back of his head. When Charming lunged at her to stop her she put the gun in her mouth and shot herself.

"MOM!" Miranda cried.

Alastair had tried to shield her from seeing the final shot when he saw Hazel aiming the gun at herself. But Miranda saw plenty and the knowledge that her mother had done what she'd done was traumatizing enough. Both Hazel and Damian were pronounced dead a few minutes later. Alastair and Aleera took Miranda home from the scene so she wouldn't have to see anymore. They set her up in the Aleera's old room and got her to sleep. They had since moved into Aleera's parents' room because it was bigger.

"I think we will all need to go to therapy," Alastair told Aleera when they were sitting in the kitchen trying to grasp everything that happened.

"How could she do that?" Aleera questioned. "Didn't she think about Miranda at all?"

"Hazel was distraught when Damian left the first time," Alastair said. "She didn't want to go through that again. I don't even know if it was ever about Miranda. I think she just wanted Damian."

"She hurt you too," Aleera said. "Why? After how good you were to her."

"I always thought it was because she sensed I was still in love with you," Alastair said. "And maybe it was. But it was also that she wasn't grateful to the support my uncle and I gave her because she'd rather be with Damian than anything. Really she was mad at him, she just didn't realize it. That's why she shot him."

"I can't imagine how Miranda must be feeling," Aleera said. "I want to do whatever I can to help her through it."

"You lost your parents from murder too," Alastair said. "I think you will be helpful."

"I don't think I can properly be her stepmother," Aleera said. "Because we are so close in age."

"You're thinking of your sister and Snow White?" he asked. "You aren't your sister."

"I don't feel comfortable taking the role of the stepmother," Aleera said. "But I think I can be her friend."

"She will appreciate that," Alastair said. "I think that is an excellent start."


	22. Part 3 Ch 4

"How are you two handling a sexless relationship?" Archie asked Aleera and Alastair.

They were at their first therapy session and they had just laid down the summary of their relationship. They cleared their throats awkwardly at the question. Not that either of them were awkward about sex, it was just that sex had been an issue for them of late.

"Well…" Aleera started.

"It isn't a big deal," Alastair lied. Aleera looked at him incredulously. He rolled his eyes and turned back to Archie. "We have a ten year old daughter who just lost her biological parents. Having sex just isn't appropriate. Her room is right next to ours."

"Right," Aleera agreed. "But I wouldn't say it's not a big deal. We were hot and heavy for 28 years."

"Only you were aware it went on for that long," Alastair said. "If I'd been aware, things would have been different."

"As someone who was aware," Archie said. "Aleera, are you missing that life?"

"You mean do I miss being used by a guy for my body and not experiencing real love?" she asked. "No, I don't."

"You made the rule that you should be celibate until you got your relationship back together," Archie said. "Do you feel like you've made any progress before coming here?"

"We didn't really work on it before coming here," Alastair said.

"Why not?" Archie asked.

"We had a lot else to worry about," Alastair said.

"Both of you?" Archie asked. "Or just you?"

"We agreed that getting Miranda back was more of a concern at the time," Aleera said. "We felt we had plenty of time to work on us." She took his hand and Alastair smiled at the romantic notion she'd voiced.

"Well now you can work on you," Archie said. "And although you are getting along decently here, I think there are some buried issues. Is there anything either of you would like to say to each other that isn't as nice?"

"You want us to fight?" Aleera asked.

"Have you not fought lately?" Archie asked

"You act like people should argue," Alastair commented.

"It is clear that you haven't been entirely honest with each other," Archie said. "And you have been keeping things to yourself because you've convinced yourself it isn't as important. But in order to be who you once were, you need to get it out into the open." The couple was silent for a little. But then Aleera spoke up.

"I had a pregnancy scare," Aleera said.

"WHAT!" Alastair exclaimed, falling back into the couch away from her. He then got closer to her and put his arm around her. "When?"

"Right before the curse broke," Aleera said. "I was going to your house to tell you when I saw Jade leaving your place when she'd been romancing you to get your signature."

"That's how you found out," Alastair stated. "Are you sure you aren't pregnant?" he asked assessing her.

"I know I'm not," she said. "My period came a little while after I ran from your place."

"I'm so sorry," Alastair told her. "I'm sorry for how Geoff was to you."

"You can't help that," Aleera told him through tears. "You weren't aware."

"No, I know Geoff had the ability to be a better man to you than he was," Alastair said. "Getting involved with a high school student for easy sex was something he could have been above."

"I could have broken up with you any night of the curse," she said. "Then I wouldn't have to sleep with you all the time. But I didn't want to be separate from you. I took what I could get. I was able to lose myself in Jessica and numb myself from the pain of you not being Alastair and me being used."

"That doesn't make it okay," Alastair told her.

"That's a good start," Archie told them, smiling at them. "Is there anything you need to admit to her, Alastair?"

"Basically all I have to say is that it was agonizing living for ten years without her while she was imprisoned," he said. "But that's not her fault, and it doesn't compare to her living for 28 years while I was in a similar prison. Not that I'm so special as to not be able to live without…"

"Don't say that," Aleera scolded. "I love you. I could never love anyone else like I love you."

"Same here," Alastair said, and they kissed. They talked about themselves a little while longer. When there was 10 minutes left of their session they switched to talking about Miranda's therapy.

"Has she opened up at all?" Aleera asked.

"I've gotten her to draw pictures of how she feels," Archie said showing them some of her drawings. "She is very brief in her responses when I ask her questions."

Alastair came across a very scary drawing and became upset.

"You had her draw the murder of her parents?" he asked outraged brandishing the drawing at Archie.

"I leave it up to her what to draw," Archie defended. "I tell her to draw things happening in her life, things that bother her, and dreams she has. That day is quite vivid in her mind."

"What can we do at home to make her feel better?" Aleera asked. She was desperate to make Miranda feel comfortable.

"Let her talk to you about how she feels," Archie said. "She tells me that you often tell her just not to think about it," he said to Alastair.

"I just don't want her to linger on it," Alastair defended himself. "I want her to not live in the past."

"Like you have?" Archie asked. "Have you told yourself not to think about the bad things that happened in your past?"

"Maybe," Alastair said. "Perhaps that's the wrong way to do it."

"This therapy will help all of us," Aleera said.

"Another thing to do would be to let her back into the world," Archie says. "She feels isolated, she'd like to be with people her age. She misses her friend Grace."

"We could definitely get her some play dates," Aleera said. "That is if Jefferson is open to it. I'm sure Henry would be a pal too."

"I know he would," Archie agreed.

When Alastair and Aleera left therapy, they walked past the diner and saw Charming sitting in the outside seating having a coffee. They had been meaning to talk to him.

"Hey David," Aleera said. She and Alastair came up to the fence around the diner.

"Hey you two," Charming said. He got up to stand across the fence from them. "I'm sorry again about Hazel and Damian. How's Miranda doing?"

"She's doing as best as you'd expect," Alastair said. "We have her going to Archie and we are trying to get her back out into the world. Would Henry like to play with her?"

"I'm sure he would," Charming said. "But don't let him catch you say 'play.' He 'hangs out' with people."

"Oh no, don't tell me my buddy is in a hurry to grow up!" Aleera laughed at how cute what Charming said had been.

"Not in the slightest," Charming laughed back. "He just thinks 'hang out' sounds better. I'll let Henry know about Miranda."

"Thank you," Alastair said. "Also, if you need help in the mines or around town, I am available. I was a knight once."

"I'll keep you in mind," Charming told him. "Thanks," he shook Alastair's hand and then he and Aleera took their leave. As they were walking away Dr. Whale came up to Charming. The couple whipped their heads around when they heard a punching sound.

"What was that for?" Whale asked in shock to Charming.

"Should we step in?" Aleera asked Alastair from where they were standing.

"Sleeping with my wife!" Charming replied to Whale.

"Look I didn't know!" Whale told Charming. "I was cursed."

"I know." Charming told him sitting back down. "What do you want?"

"I think he's got it under control," Alastair said. "He was just letting some anger out he's harmless to Whale now." He led Aleera away with his arm around her shoulders.

"Maybe Charming should be in therapy," Aleera laughed. Alastair laughed too.

Archie was working on his notes about Alastair and Aleera when he heard a knock at his door. He opened it to see the last person he ever thought he'd see.

"Regina," he greeted the Queen. "Are you here to see me?"

"I've been trying to keep my promise to Henry, but it's been difficult," she blurted out.

"To not use magic," Archie stated.

"It's been two days," she told him.

"That's an excellent start," Archie told her. She didn't seem to think that but she came into his office when he invited her in.

"Did your sister give you the idea to come in?" he asked her.

"Why would she?" Regina asked defensively.

"Oh…" he stammered. Regina probably didn't know her sister was in therapy too. "I was just curious." But then he looked down at his coffee table to see that his notes on them were there. "Excuse me," he said trying to get them out of the way. But Regina saw the names.

"What is my sister doing in therapy?" she asked concerned, but it came of defensive again.

"I can't say," Archie said putting the file on his desk. "She might be willing to share; but I can't."

"I saw her boyfriend's name too," Regina said. And then she stared at Archie in disbelief. "Are they in couples therapy?" she asked finding it all entertaining.

"…Yes," Archie admitted. "But I won't say anything else. You are here to talk about you."

"Right, well…" Regina said sitting down. "My sister is a lot easier to talk about right now."

"Why don't you give it a try," Archie told her. "Tell me how you are feeling." Regina sighed and then she dived in.

She talked about what her life had been like with magic. Dr. Whale ended up interrupting the session in a craze, telling the Queen she had to send him back to his land. She told him she couldn't and Archie got him to leave. Archie then coaxed Daniel's state out of Regina. He finally stepped past her boundary and she couldn't stand to hear him speak to her about the things he was talking about.

The next day Aleera was teaching the gymnastics class that both Grace and Miranda were in when she got a call from Charming. He told her that they needed her help. Dr. Whale had somehow brought Daniel back to life and he was heading towards the horse stables where Henry was. Aleera ended the class and had Miranda and Grace get themselves to the house for their planned play date. Jefferson wouldn't be happy that Aleera was leaving them alone. But it was an emergency. Aleera materialized outside the stables and saw Henry and Charming sitting on a haystack where Charming was examining Henry's neck.

"What happened!" she exclaimed kneeling in front of Henry to make sure he was all right.

"Daniel attacked him," Charming replied.

"He lifted me in the air and choked me," Henry said slightly raspy.

"Where's Regina?" Aleera asked very worried.

"She's in there with him," Charming said. "I have no idea what's happening in there.

"I'll go find out," Aleera said. "You two stay here." She ran in and slid up against the stable wall around the corner from Regina and Daniel.

"Regina," she heard Daniel say. She heard Regina call out his name and it sounded like they were embracing and breathing very deeply.

"I can't believe it's really you!" Regina cried. Then Daniel started to moan and Aleera could hear him staggering around. "Daniel?" Regina asked him.

"Stop!" he whined. "Just stop the pain!"

"How?" Regina asked him desperately.

"Just, let me go," he told her through gasping.

"No!" Regina argued. "No I won't lose you again! Without you I'm lost. Daniel! Daniel, come back to me!"

"Can't, can't!" he gasped. Then Aleera heard Regina say something softly that sounded like, I love you. To which Daniel responded. "Then, love again." He groaned one more time and scuffled his feet.

Aleera chose that moment to come around the corner to see him coming at Regina. Regina raised her arm but Aleera moved quicker and immobilized him magically. Regina knew it hadn't been her who had stopped him. She turned to see Aleera.

"Regina, I'm sorry," Aleera said. "But there's no saving him. He isn't meant for this world. He's dead." Regina turned back to Daniel and saw that his jaw was grimacing and his eyes were wild. "I can do it if you want," Aleera said, referring to removing his enchantment that stopped him from decomposing.

"No…" Regina barely uttered. "I have to do it."

"Are you sure?" Aleera asked her.

"Get out of here, Aleera," Regina told her. She was about to break.

Aleera listened to her and slowly backed out, keeping the immobilization magic activated to give Regina the time she needed. By the time she exited the stables, she felt her magic shut off by some outside force. That meant that Regina had removed Daniel's enchantment and he'd disintegrated into dust. Aleera wanted to go back, but she knew Regina needed to be alone.

"What happened in there?" Charming said coming toward Aleera.

"She took care of him," Aleera replied.

"He's gone?" Henry croaked.

"She had no choice," Aleera assured him. "We need to leave her be for a little bit. Did she bring her own car?"

"Yes, we came separately," Charming answered.

"Then head home," she told them. And then she dematerialized. She had to get back for her other gymnastics class she had to teach. Regina came out a little while later and didn't care if anyone was around. She got in her car and headed to Archie's office.

"You're back," he said when he saw her. He saw that she was crying

"I used magic," she blubbered.

"Why don't you come in and tell me what happened," he said and offered her a supportive arm. She told him what happened and she let him sit next to her but he wouldn't touch her because that wasn't appropriate with any patient. He kept the Kleenexes handy and helped her calm.

"He told you to love again," Archie said repeating what she'd said. "Will you listen to him?" She was silent. "There's no rush. But this was fate's way of giving you closure. I wish he didn't have to die. But like your sister said, it's not his time anymore."

"I can't imagine loving anyone else," Regina sobbed.

"You love Henry," Archie said. "You love your sister, don't you?"

"But they don't love me," Regina said.

"Yes they do," Archie assured her. "More than you know. You should go talk to them."

"I can't face Henry yet," Regina said. "Who knows what he thinks of me for what I did."

"He knows you had no choice," Archie said. "So does your sister. Can you talk to her?"

"Maybe," She replied.

"She can handle it," he told her.

From Archie's office Regina went to Aleera's house. Aleera was still at gymnastics and Alastair was helping out in the mines. Only Miranda and Grace were in the house. When Regina rang the doorbell Miranda left Grace in her room and she went to the door. She opened it without looking through the window on the side of the door. When she opened it and saw Regina, she shrieked and slammed the door shut.

"I'm not here to hurt you Teagan!" Regina said through the door. "I just want to talk to Aleera." Miranda opened the door back up and looked seriously at Regina.

"Aleera isn't here," she said. "She'll be home in a little while."

"Can I wait?" Regina asked. "I'll stay out of your way I promise."

"Wait downstairs in the den," Miranda said. "So my friend can leave and you won't scare her."

"Thank you, Teagan," Regina said.

"I prefer Miranda," she said.

"Pardon me," Regina told her, and then she came in and went downstairs.

When she was gone Miranda ran up the stairs and went to Grace to tell her she needed to leave because the Queen was here. Grace didn't need to be told twice, but she did say that Miranda should come with her. But Miranda trusted that Regina wouldn't harm her, so she stayed. Despite the fact that Grace left soon after the Queen arrived, Jefferson still saw through his telescope that Regina and Grace had been in the same house, and he panicked. He called Aleera at gymnastics.

"Hey Jeff," she said when she answered. "Do you want Grace to come home already?"

"She's on her way," Jefferson said.

"Oh, well I hope she and Miranda had a good time," Aleera said. She saw that the kids were getting restless waiting for her to come back to the bar.

"She's on her way home because the Queen is in your house!" he growled.

"What!" Aleera exclaimed. "Miranda is by herself with her?"

"I'd assume so," Jefferson said, not as worried about Miranda as he was with Grace.

"Crap, I need to get home," Aleera said, and she hung up.

She ended yet another one of her gymnastic classes early to the all the mothers' chagrin. And she rushed out. She didn't want to dematerialize in front of everyone. She texted Alastair, 'Miranda Emergency' on her way to the alley nearby and she dematerialized. When she got home it was dark upstairs and the only light came from the downstairs. She ran down and stopped abruptly when she saw Regina and Miranda sitting calmly across from each other and seemed perfectly safe. They were talking.

"Why do people kill?" Miranda asked Regina.

"Because they think it's the only option," Regina replied.

"Is it?" Miranda asked.

"…No," Regina said hesitantly. She had denied that numerous times to excuse the killing she'd done. "I'm sure your parents loved you."

"And your mom loved you?" Miranda asked.

"In her own way," Regina replied.

"I guess my parents loved me in that same way too. Since they did this," Miranda said.

"I can't say for sure, since I didn't know them very well," Regina told her.

"I'm sorry your fiancé died," Miranda said.

"Thank you," Regina said. Aleera just watched them silently. She didn't know what other ground they'd covered before she got home. But it looked like in the moment Regina and Miranda had been good for each other. Miranda finally looked up and saw Aleera.

"Hi, Al," she said to Aleera. Regina looked up and shifted awkwardly.

"Your dad's coming home soon," Aleera said. "Why don't you go pick something for dinner and you two can make it together."

"Will your sister be staying?" Miranda asked.

"Do you want her to?" Aleera asked back.

"She should be around people right now," Miranda said. "She's been through a lot and needs support."

"That's very wise of you," Aleera told her stepdaughter. Miranda got up to go to the kitchen. She gave Aleera a half hug on the way out.

"I don't need to stay," Regina said. "Alastair won't like it."

"He can deal with it," Aleera said. She got out her phone on her way to sit down to text him that the emergency was a false alarm. "You got Miranda to open up more than any of us have. He'll be grateful."

"All right then," Regina gave in. "So…you're Al, now?"

"When I was a kid my nickname was Lee," she said. "But being that that is Miranda's birth father's name, we didn't think she'd want to hear that all the time. We let her pick my name."

"That's sweet," Regina said. She was looking down and scratching her ankle. "I'm sorry I sent you away," she told her.

"You needed to be alone," Aleera said. "I understand."

"Archie said I should talk to you about what happened. And I should talk to Henry too."

"You've been seeing Archie?" Aleera asked both surprised and happy for Regina.

"You have too I hear," Regina teased. "Couples therapy…I can't imagine Al and Al the wonder couple having problems."

"We have plenty, don't let the nauseating romanticism fool you."

"Even you get sick of it?" Regina asked laughing.

"He gives me fever…" Aleera sang.

"Oh that kind of sick. I wished I hadn't asked," Regina laughed.

"Do you want to talk about Daniel?" Aleera asked her seriously. "Or did Dr. Miranda do the trick?"

"She was helpful," Regina said. "I kind of feel as vulnerable as a parentless ten year old."

"Hey," Aleera said somewhat offended. "She's not parentless."

"She does miss them," Regina told her. "She loves Alastair and she's getting closer to you. But she does have a void that has yet to be filled."

"You got all that from the five minutes it took me to get home?" Aleera asked.

"I relate to her," Regina said. "My parent's death was my fault."

"You think her parents death was her fault?" Aleera asked. Regina had actually murdered her parents.

"No," Regina said. "But she does." Aleera gulped at that. Miranda had never said that to her or Alastair. She wiped tears out of her eye, but they kept coming down.

"My parents deaths were my fault too," Aleera said.

"You never told me about them," Regina said.

"I'm over it," Aleera claimed.

"If I'm to open up to you," Regina said. "Maybe you should do the same?" At that moment Alastair bolted down the stairs brandishing a sword.

"What is she doing here?" he seethed. He looked around and saw Aleera teary eyed. "Miranda says she's staying for dinner. Tell me she's kidding."

"I'll be on my way," Regina said. She got up and started to head out, but Aleera caught up with her and held onto her.

"She needs to be around people," Aleera quoted Miranda. Alastair pulled Aleera along and into the guest room.

"She needs to be in a cell," he said. "How can you let her be in this house with my daughter?"

"Regina got Miranda to open up," Aleera said. "She found out Miranda thinks her parents deaths are her fault." Alastair was greatly pained by that.

"I had a feeling she did," he said. "That's why I told her not to think about it. But now I will find a way to convince her otherwise."

"We'll do it together," Aleera said.

They went back into the den and couldn't find Regina. They went upstairs and found her in the kitchen with Miranda. They were standing over the stove making meat sauce for spaghetti. Regina was giving Miranda pointers. They were wearing matching aprons. Aleera and Alastair were leaning in the doorway watching them.

"That garlic bread isn't going to make itself, Dad," Miranda said to him from the stove. She didn't even look up to know they were there. Alastair laughed and got the bread out from the breadbasket. "You can make the spaghetti, Al," Miranda told her.

"You got it!" Aleera replied.

"Can you handle boiling water?" Regina joked. The room was silent for a beat. They weren't expecting Regina to say something like that. But Aleera saved the conversation.

"I don't know, I might burn it," she joked.

"You can't burn water!" Miranda snarked. That got everyone to laugh.

They were very synchronized in their cooking tasks and they got along decently at dinner with only few awkward silences. When Regina was ready to leave she said her goodbyes in the dining room and planned to let herself out. But Miranda followed her outside and gave her a hug. Regina was taken aback. But then she shared a look with Miranda, which she knew was Miranda saying thank you for talking with her. Regina was thankful to Miranda too.

**For anyone who has paid close enough attention to my story, although Aleera changed her name to Jane in fairy tale land to hide from Cora, in private her parents called her by her real name. So that's how she could have the nickname Lee. I realized that might not be very clear. **


	23. Part 3 Ch 5

"Saved by the bell," Miranda said when the doorbell rang. She was being joint tutored by Alastair and Aleera and she really wanted a break. Alastair got up to answer the door and saw that it was Belle.

"Hey, come in," he said inviting her in. She was looking very anxious. She came up the stairs to the main floor and stood in the living room looking shaken.

"Miranda why don't you take a channel flipping break," Aleera said, sensing that Belle needed to talk.

"Hec yeah!" Miranda exclaimed and she ran downstairs to the den.

"Should I stay?" Alastair asked. "Are you okay, Belle?" Belle was still shaking, but she finally blurted out what she'd been keeping in.

"Who is Cora?" she asked. Alastair's breath whistled awkwardly and Aleera tensed.

"She's my mother," Aleera answered. "Why are you interested?"

"Because your sister says she's coming to Storybrooke," Belle said. "And that it would be incredibly bad if she did." Aleera blanched and Alastair looked at her dumbfounded.

"My mother is dead," Aleera said. "Regina killed her."

"Your sister says she's alive," Belle said. "And that if she comes here she will come after me because of who I am to Rumple." Aleera got up to comfort Belle.

"My dad won't let her hurt you," Aleera assured her.

"Then why are they trying so hard to keep her out?" Belle freaked. "They are all at your father's shop watching over Henry venturing in sleep through a netherworld trying to make contact with Emma and Snow White to tell them how to defeat her."

"My mother is a very evil woman," Aleera said. "I don't know how she's still alive, but if they can do anything to her, it's keep her out of this world. It will be better for all of us."

"But preferably she'd be better off dead," Alastair interjected.

"I won't lie," Aleera said. "That's how I like her too. But we can't ask Emma and Snow to do that." Belle still looked pretty shaken up. It was understandable that she was worried. But Aleera suspected that her run in with Regina was what she was really stressing over. "Honey why don't you relax here for a little bit before you go home? Alastair will you sit with her?"

"Why?" he asked. "Where are you going?"

"To help them," Aleera said. "Please Belle, sit, have a glass of water, take a nap. Just relax."

"No, it's okay," Belle said. "I'll go home."

"I'll give you a ride," Alastair told Belle. "This will give Miranda a longer break from her homework. She's been working hard." He took both Belle and Aleera and dropped Aleera off first.

"What are you doing here?" Gold asked.

"Moral support," Aleera told him gesturing toward her nephew sleeping on the bed. "And whatever I can do." At that moment, Henry awoke.

"He's going to need some time to recover before he can be sent back," Gold said after he'd healed Henry's burn and explained what happened. Regina, Charming, and Aleera all vehemently said no.

"We'd be monsters to even consider risking his life again," Charming said.

"Careful with your tone, Charming," Rumple said. "I understand you concern for the boy, but I know Cora. Without our help, Snow and Emma will soon be dead. And then, a true monster will be on her way to Storybrooke."

"Aurora is gone," Regina said standing up. "Why do we need to send Henry back to that fiery inferno with no one there to receive our message?"

"Because he has no choice but to go there anyway?" Aleera reminded them. It would take time for Henry to toughen up in sleep to not go there.

"He wouldn't have to travel deeper into it if he wasn't tasked with this," Regina snarked.

"We don't need to use him," Charming said. "Because someone will be there."

"Who?" Regina asked.

"Snow," Charming answered.

"That's an awfully big assumption," Regina said.

"No, no it's not," Charming argued. "She was there once before. She can go back. She can find a way. She will, I know it. And I'll be waiting."

"You're going to this Netherworld?" Regina asked incredulously.

"I faced you, how bad can it be?" Charming reasoned.

"It's not as simple as that," Rumple said. "You can't get there, you haven't been under a sleeping curse."

"Well, then put me under one," Charming said.

"If we do that, there's a chance you may never waken up," Rumple told him.

"Sure I will," Charming said. "When I see her, she'll kiss me, and I'll be fine."

"You can't guarantee that," Rumple argued.

"But you can guarantee me," Aleera chimed in. "I can go under the curse because I have someone here to wake me up."

"I'm not doing it," Rumple and Regina said in unison.

"Not you guys!" Aleera said annoyed. "Alastair! But that's a good argument for my side, I have three people who can wake me up," Aleera added that last part as an after thought.

"I won't allow it," Rumple said.

"Neither will I," Regina agreed. "And I know Alastair will be furious."

"It's my life we are talking about," Aleera argued. "It's up to me."

"You all need to stop arguing!" Charming yelled. "Now put me under! I've spent far too much time looking for my wife, it's time to bring her home!"

Much to Henry's dismay and Aleera's chagrin, Charming did go under the sleeping curse. But he didn't wake up on his own anytime afterward. By the time a day had gone by, they knew Charming had been wrong about Snow being able to wake him.

"We have to find where they are coming through, and destroy that portal," Rumple said to Aleera and Regina who had just checked on Charming's status.

"But, whoever came through would die," Regina countered.

"Exactly," Rumple said.

"Wait, what?" Aleera said stunned. They were considering murder when they had no idea who would actually be coming through: Cora, or Snow and Emma.

"I'm confident between the three of us we can summon up enough magic to complete the task," Rumple explained.

"Well, what if we're wrong?" Regina asked. "What if that portal opens up and it's not our mother? What if Mary Margaret and Emma do defeat Cora, and go through it?"

"I believe in this world we call that a win-win," Rumple said.

"How exactly is that?" Aleera asked.

"If we stop Cora, you two are protected from your mother's wrath," Rumple said as one point. "If, on the other hand we stop Snow and Emma, Well…you become the only mother in your son's life now don't you?" he said to Regina.

"Don't listen to him, Regina," Aleera warned her. "He cares more about what Cora would do to him and Belle than what she'd do to you."

"I'm doing this for you too, Aleera," Rumple said. "You think she'll stop at Regina? She'll come after you and whom you love too. And I thought you liked Belle?" Rumple turned back to Regina and chose to ignore Aleera who wanted to argue.

"Look, magic is unpredictable in this world," Rumple defended his point to Regina. "If something unfortunate were to happen when you were attempting to help, Henry could hardly blame you for that, could he?"

"No," Regina stood up to him. "I can't lie to him. I am trying to be a better mother."

"You won't be able to be a better anything, if Cora comes through," he told her. And if she does, she will be a threat to everyone. Including your son…and your fiancé and daughter," he added that last bit for Aleera. "So if you two want to be good mothers, if you truly want to be better, prove it!"

Regina was torn about joining Rumple on this venture. But Aleera was positive. She would not take part and she would stop Regina from doing it. Regina went to talk to Henry after talking with Gold and Aleera and that only convinced her further that she had to do what Gold said for Henry. Gold knew that Aleera was not going to get on board. He'd never thought he had a chance at swaying her to their side, but he had tried.

"I do care about Belle," Aleera told Gold. "But I also care about not sacrificing innocent people. If we are so powerful as a trio, why can't we stop her if she crosses?"

"You can't handle her," Rumple told her. "Cora is a few notches higher than your last kill."

"My what?" Aleera asked. "Last kill?"

"I trained both you and your sister in the art of ripping out hearts using a unicorn," Rumple said. "When she was given the task, she wasn't up to it. She couldn't harm something 'innocent.' But you? You killed it. You are no better than us."

His words really cut Aleera. He was right. She had killed before. She always told herself that the merciful way she did it made it all right. But she knew it didn't. Rumple only told her the truth. He didn't actually want that to be what convinced her to join them. He didn't want murder on her conscience. But if Cora came through, Aleera would have to kill. Or, be killed.

Aleera went home to get Alastair to help her rally the town to stop Rumple and Regina. They then went to Ruby who before they could say what little they knew, Grumpy came and took them to the mines, where all the diamonds were gone. Aleera knew what they were doing. They were going to use fairy magic to destroy the portal. She, Alastair, Ruby, and Henry went to the portal site at the well to stop them.

"Mom?" Henry called out when they arrived. Rumple turned around looking annoyed and Regina looked like she'd just been caught. "You're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret are you?" he asked, but he knew the answer.

"I'm helping you, Henry," she told him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her like she was crazy.

"You're gonna kill them!" Ruby realized. She was about to take them down when Rumple through her back.

"Sorry, dearie," he said. Alastair tried to do what she'd done and he was thrown back too. Rumple turned to Aleera, but he just couldn't do it to her. Aleera went to check on Ruby and Alastair and they weren't in danger from their knocks on the head.

"Mom what are you doing!" Henry freaked.

"We can't let Cora come through the portal," she said. "You have no idea what she would do to us."

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to defeat her," Henry told her. "They're the ones who are gonna come through!"

"Henry's your mother's right it's going to be Cora," Rumple told him.

"No it won't!" Henry said.

"Even if she does," Aleera said. "We can take her. I will do what has to be done and team up with you."

"Good always defeats evil," Henry fought for Aleera's point. "You should know that more than anyone," he told his mother.

"What I know is my mother will destroy everything I love," Regina told him. "And that means you. And I can't let that happen!" Henry started to physically fight her trying to get to the portal. Although what exactly he could do if he got over to it was unclear. He eventually got out of her hold and ran for the well. "Henry!" she cried out. Both she and Aleera ran to pull him back. "What are you doing!"

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to come through, I know it," he said. "You said you wanted to change, to be better. This is how. You want me to have faith in you? Have faith in me."

"Come on Regina," Aleera said. "We can do it together." Regina turned to the well, and she and her sister walked to it. They both stood on opposite sides of the well and had their hands outstretched over the magic to absorb it. Soon they were, and it was taking everything they had.

Their labor bore fruit. The magic ceased and Emma and Mary Margaret came out of the well. When Ruby and Alastair came to they ran up. Ruby was embracing the girls and Alastair was helping Aleera. At all different paces they all left to go to Gold's shop to see Charming woken up by Snow.

The dwarves seemed to enjoy watching the Charmings make out. Aleera was happier to see the hug that Henry and Regina shared. But it was short lived when Henry left to spend time with the family he'd just been reunited with. Aleera heard her father taunt Regina about not being invited. Aleera would have scolded him, but she knew he was somewhat hurt too.

Regina, Alastair, and Aleera were invited to the welcome back party. Alastair and Aleera had no trouble getting along with everyone. But Regina had difficulty. Especially when she came in late. Snow got to talk to Aleera for the first time since the curse broke.

"Your highness," Aleera said when Snow came up to her and Alastair after she'd seen them. Aleera and Alastair bowed to Snow and Charming.

"We are just Mary Margaret and David here," Snow laughed.

"You will always be royalty to me," Aleera said. She clasped hands with Snow as they used to do when Snow was a child. "What happened?" Aleera laughed. "You got older than me!" Snow laughed with her.

"It's nice that you and Alastair were reunited," Snow said to her. "But why haven't you aged since I was a child?"

"It's a long story," Aleera said. "Short version: Rumple's my Dad and he just didn't want me to grow up."

"Oh my," Snow said shocked. She looked to David and he nodded at her. He had already known about Aleera's parentage.

"Thank you for inviting us to the party," Alastair said to Snow and Charming.

"Oh of course!" Snow said. "I liked to think Aleera and I are friends."

"Of course we are!" Aleera gleamed. She and Snow hugged. From over Snow's shoulder Aleera saw that Regina wasn't having a good time. She looked like she was close to giving up on the whole thing. "Excuse me, I better check on sis," Aleera said to the group. As she walked away she heard Alastair tease Snow as to whether or not she still had a crush on him. Which of course got David to join in on teasing her.

"Hey, how are you?" Aleera asked Regina.

"Just peachy," Regina said sarcastically. She was looking around and clearly feeling bad that everyone else was happy. "I'm about to leave, go back to your friends."

"No, don't leave," Aleera pleaded. But she knew that Regina wouldn't get anywhere with these people. Not tonight, not for a while. "Just talk to me."

"I don't want to be here," Regina said.

"If I go with you will you talk?" Aleera asked.

"The party will miss you," Regina said.

"They don't need me right now," Aleera said. She got up and signaled to Alastair that she was leaving. He saw that she was with Regina, and figured it was her monopolizing her. On their way out Emma stopped them.

"Archie made a cake!" Emma said. "You don't want to stay for a piece?" Regina said she was fine and the same time Aleera said that they'd love to. She said it as a last ditch effort to get Regina to stay just like Emma did. But both of them dropped it after hearing Regina's response.

"Thank you!" Regina said to the other girls' shock.

"You just said that," Emma told her.

"For inviting me," Regina explained.

"Henry wanted it," Emma said. That got a sad smile from Regina. "I'm glad you guys got to spend some time together."

"Me, too," Regina agreed. "I'd like to see him more. Maybe you'd consider letting him stay over some time? I have his room just…just waiting for him."

"Oh, I'm-I'm not sure that's best," Emma stammered.

"Emma…" Aleera implored her.

"Because you know so much about parenting in the five minutes you've been with him?" Regina commented. Then Aleera begged Regina in the same way she begged Emma not to start something, but Regina ignored her. "Talk to David. At least he took care of him while you were away. Like I did during the ten years you were away the first time!"

"Okay, thanks for coming," Emma said gruffly, and then she turned to leave.

"No wait, I'm sorry!" Regina said. "Emma, I'm sorry. Snapping at you I shouldn't have done that. Will you accept my apology?" Aleera reassuringly rubbed Regina's arm and looked to Emma as earnestly as Regina.

"Okay," Emma gave in. But it got worse when Emma brought up what she and Archie had discussed about Regina. Aleera knew that Regina was only being nice at that point as to not scare Emma off again. When they left the outside dining area, Regina was ready to pop.

"I can't believe him!" Regina hissed as they walked home.

"He meant no harm," Aleera tried to assure her.

"I'm going to have a talk with him," Regina made that sound threatening.

"A nice talk?" Aleera suggested. But Regina just growled. Unbeknownst to the sisters, they were being watched. Up on a rooftop Cora and Captain Hook had eyes on them.

"Well?" Hook asked. "Is she broken?"

"Not yet," Cora said looking on. She then took an interest in Regina's companion. She took the telescope from Hook and got a closer look. This girl looked a lot like her and Regina. And as broken as Regina was, this girl was the only one supporting her. But it couldn't be whom she thought. She looked too young.

"Who's that?" Hook asked.

"I think it's her sister," Cora said. "My daughter with the Dark One."

"What!" Hook exclaimed.

Cora realized she had hit a nerve with him. He hadn't known Rumple had another child. But this was different. Aleera was her child too. But, in order to have Regina broken, she couldn't have anyone supporting her other than Cora. She would need to separate the girls. Hook would be more than happy to dispatch Aleera. She told herself she wouldn't resort to that if she didn't have to. But with Cora, she didn't need much persuading to kill. She would have ripped out Regina's heart all those years ago. Aleera wasn't any safer.

Aleera was home with Miranda. Miranda was in her room reading and Aleera was in her living room digesting the news of Archie's murder by her sister's hand. She was waiting for Alastair to get home when she saw something out of her side vision. Purple smoke. Someone was materializing into her home, most likely Regina. Aleera sprang up and ran to the top landing where Regina was appearing. When Regina had fully formed, Aleera immobilized her.

Regina had proven she had an issue with Archie. Ruby saw Regina go to Archie's office. Her file was missing, she had no alibi, Emma saw her do it in Pongo's memories. She also evaded arrest. Aleera had no choice but believe her sister was guilty. She didn't want to, but she was angry. Archie was very important to her and Regina had betrayed her trust. Her blind faith was tested. To talk to her sister, Aleera only unfroze her head.

"Aleera, what did you do?" Regina said very confused by her state.

"How dare you come here!" Aleera growled. "You thought I'd protect you after what you did?"

"I didn't kill Archie!" Regina claimed.

"That's not what every obvious piece of evidence says," Aleera countered.

"Exactly!" Regina said. "You know me, I cover my tracks better than this!"

"Emma saw you do it through a dream catcher," Aleera said. "Even if there were no other evidence, that would be enough."

"I don't know how she saw me in that," Regina said, trying to shake out of the magic her sister was putting on her. "Somehow your father faked it. I didn't do it! Please, Aleera!"

Aleera looked into her sister's eyes. She wanted to believe her. But the evidence and Regina's old nature were against her. Aleera released her from her magic and let her stand there free.

"I don't know if I believe you," she said to her sister. "But I will try to prove your innocence. As long as you go into custody until then."

"I can't go to another prison," Regina whined.

"If you want me to believe you, you will," Aleera said.

"No," Regina said. And then she dematerialized. Aleera reached through the smoke to try to grab her, but she wasn't fast enough. When Regina was gone she saw that Miranda had come up behind her. Before either of them could say anything the front door was kicked open. Snow, Charming, Leroy and the Blue Fairy had come in.

"What are you doing?" Alastair asked coming in behind them.

"Where's Regina?" Charming asked accusingly

"She's not here," Aleera told them. "You can check if you like." Charming sent Leroy to look through the house.

"If she comes here you have to tell us," Charming told Aleera.

"What if she didn't do it?" Aleera asked. "Don't you think it was just too easy to prove her guilt?"

"I know this is hard," Snow said sympathetically. "But I know you care about Archie. Regina must be brought to justice."

"Well I'm not harboring her here," Aleera said.

"Has she stopped by at all?" Snow asked. Aleera was silent.

"Aleera," Charming said. "If you help her, we will have to jail you too." Miranda whimpered behind Aleera. Aleera turned to her. She knew that Miranda didn't want to rat her out, but she hated lying.

"Go ahead, Miranda," Aleera told her. Everyone's eyes were on the almost eleven year old.

"She was just here," Miranda told them.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Charming said to Aleera coming up the stairs. "You are coming with me."

"Wait, no!" Alastair pleaded.

"We can't allow her to help Regina," Charming said.

"She won't!" Alastair told them. "You can't take her away, she's on your side. She won't help her even if she wanted to. I won't let her. You can trust her with me."

"Please, Mr. Nolan, don't take her," Miranda begged, surprising all of them. "Don't take my mom." Charming didn't want to hurt Miranda. He blamed himself for Hazel getting the gun and killing her and Damian.

"We need a bigger guarantee you won't help your sister," The Blue Fairy said. "I can take her powers like I tried to do to Regina. She will be powerless long enough to find Regina."

"That's cruel!" Alastair snarled.

"No, it's okay," Aleera said. "They need insurance. Go ahead, Blue, do it." Aleera jut out her arm to tell Miranda to step back and Leroy came around the corner and held Alastair back. When everyone was secure, Blue summoned the magic and threw it at Aleera. The blast from it made her turn her head to the mirror on the wall and she froze with her arm still jutted out toward Miranda.

"Mom!" Miranda said for the first time.

"It's alright, Miranda," Aleera told her. She looked up to the mirror and although she only saw herself, she knew Regina was watching wherever she was. She just stared at the mirror with a look that told her sister she believed her, but she would help the good guys in order to prove her sister's innocence. And that meant that she might lead them straight to Regina if she knew where to look.


	24. Part 3 Ch 6

"How long is this going to last?" Alastair asked while they were at dinner. It had been a couple days and she was still powerless.

"I don't think there is much more," Aleera told him. "I can feel it coming back a bit."

"Do you miss it?" Miranda asked.

"Not really, to tell you the truth," Aleera replied. "During the curse the one thing I didn't miss was my magic."

"I'm going to go get the sparkling cider from the garage fridge," Alastair said, wiping his mouth and getting up.

"Regina gave that to us," Miranda sighed after Alastair left. "This is all her fault."

"Let's not play the blame game," Aleera told her taking her hand. They both jumped when they heard the front door kicked open. "Alastair?" Aleera called out. She got up and went to the kitchen doorway. There was a man in black leather on the landing. He had a hook….and a gun.

"Whose that?" Miranda asked.

"Miranda, go!" Aleera cried. Right then Hook aimed and fired.

Aleera twisted around to push Miranda out of the way. Aleera fell to the ground and Miranda got into the cupboard under the sink. Aleera sat up and looked to the front door and saw that the pirate was gone. Alastair came running up with his sword from the downstairs where he'd gone to the connected garage.

"What happened!" he exclaimed.

"You can come out Miranda!" Aleera called. Miranda came out from under the sink and kneeled next to her father.

"Uh mom, what's that?" Miranda asked pointing at Aleera's side. That was when it finally resonated with Aleera. Her side hurt immensely. Her dark blouse was becoming damp. She'd been shot.

"Aleera!" Alastair cried. He grabbed a cloth napkin from the kitchen table and held it to the wound. "Get me the phone, Miranda," he told her.

He called 911 and an ambulance came to the house. When they pulling into the hospital they heard over the radio that another ambulance was needed on the town border. The victims were a woman in her mid twenties with a shoulder gun wound, a man in his early thirties who had been hit by a car, and a man in his late thirties who had crashed his car.

"Hook shot the girl," Aleera said in her haze.

"Belle," Alastair said.

"Oh no," Aleera whimpered. Hook was after the people important to Gold.

"Get him out of here!" Charming ordered when Gold came around the corner calling out for Belle.

"No, what's happening? Belle!" Rumple argued.

"I'd like to know that myself!" said Grumpy.

"Everybody calm down!" Dr. Whale said over the men shouting. "Mr. Gold, everything will be fine. Belle and Aleera are in good hands here, I promise."

"Aleera?" Gold asked confused.

"Yes," Whale said. "She was admitted a little while ago for a gun wound as well." Then Gold really started to seethe. Hook had gone after both the love of his life and his daughter.

"I will kill him!" he growled and then tried to charge past everyone.

"I don't think so!" said Charming fighting him. "What you should do is heal Aleera like you did Belle."

"The hospital can take good care of her," Whale said insulted.

"No," Rumple said. "I will go to her. But then I'm going to check on Belle." Rumple walked off in search of his daughter.

"Gold!" Alastair exclaimed and charged at him when he came in the door. "This is all your fault!" He grabbed Gold by the collar but he was magically pushed off. He thought it was Gold's doing. But when he followed Gold's eyes to Aleera's bed and saw that her arm was outstretched, he knew differently. Her magic was back.

"How is Belle?" Aleera asked her father when he came over to the side of her where her wound was. "What happened?"

"Just relax," Rumple told her. He pulled her blanket down a little and hovered his hand over her bandage. In a moment she was healed.

"Dad, the nurses said someone went over the border," Aleera said. "Was it Belle?"

"Yes, it was," Rumple admitted. Tears rose to Aleera's eyes.

"Have you tried true loves kiss?" she asked.

"Not yet, but I will," Rumple told her.

"If Hook is here," Alastair said. "Does that mean Cora is too?"

"Most likely," Rumple replied. Alastair took in a sharp intake of breath. "Get yourself discharged and go home. You should be with your daughter."

"She's just down at the soda machine," Aleera told him.

"Is she alright?" Rumple asked.

"Hook didn't touch her," Aleera replied.

"He better not have," Rumple said, and then he left.

"Now he cares about Miranda?" Alastair asked incredulously.

"He's not a monster," Aleera told him. She used her magic to separate herself from the tubes and needles and got out of bed. "Let's go."

"What are we going to do about Cora?" Alastair asked.

"Rumple made some deal or threat to her some time back that made her lose interest in me," Aleera told him. "She shouldn't come after us. But she will go after Regina. I need to find her."

"But not tonight," Alastair said. "You've just been shot."

"I'm not strong enough yet to search for her anyway. My magic isn't entirely back," Aleera told him. "So I have to wait anyway."

Alastair, Aleera, and Miranda left the hospital at the same time that Rumple tried to bring back Belle's memories with true loves kiss, which did not work. He went back to his shop defeated. But when he was there he received a box and a visitor. Cora.

"Aw, the crocodile snaps at the little bird," Cora chuckled. "And after I brought you a gift."

"Yeah, did you bring the antidote too?" Rumple snarked.

"Oh, Rumple," Cora continued to giggle at him. "It's a peace offering."

"And what do you want for this…peace offering?" Rumple asked.

"My daughter," Cora replied. "You were so clever to get her to lay the curse so you could come here. You don't need her anymore. Let me try to get her back, and let us live."

"And what do I get for my troubles?" Rumple asked.

"Your son," she told him. He then opened the box to find the blood globe. He didn't want to accept it as real at first but Cora sweet talked him and claimed that she wanted him to have his son back. "I want you, to find the one person in the universe who might still love you. After all I'm doing the same thing."

"What about our daughter?" Rumple asked. "Do you want her back?"

"I thought our old agreement still stood," Cora replied after she shrugged. "I'm not to harm her or take her under my wing. I might say hello once though."

"Don't," was all Rumple said on that. But then he changed subjects. "Do you have any spells to return memories?"

"I only know what you taught me…Master," Cora replied.

Regina was just as stunned when Cora revealed herself. She was terrified of her mother and what she might do. At first she didn't trust her mother's apologizing. But then she gave into it because more than anything she wanted to have a mother again and she wanted to believe that Cora was sorry.

"Come with me, we're going to town," she told Cora.

"It's the middle of the night," Cora pointed out.

"I don't care, we'll wake them up," Regina told her, whipping around. "Emma, Henry, and the two idiots, and you can tell them how you lied. You owe me that."

"And then you'll let us start over?" Cora asked.

"I don't see that happening, Mother," Regina said. "But I am, I was, trying so hard to be worthy of Henry. And I deserve the same thing from you."

"You're right," Cora said. "For you, sweetheart, anything."

But it didn't take long for Cora to win over Regina completely. All she did was give her a supportive shoulder and promised that she could help Regina get Henry back. Regina was putty in her hands. They ended up not going to the Charming's and went back to Regina's house. Cora listened to Regina brag about Henry, and then she asked questions about Aleera.

"Tell me about your sister," Cora said. She was tired of the Henry anecdotes.

"She looks just like you," Regina said. "Not much of Gold is in her face thankfully."

"I only saw her from a distance," Cora said. "She looked awfully young for her age. She shouldn't look much younger than you."

"Rumple froze her as a statue for the last ten years we were in the Enchanted Forest," Regina told her.

"Why?" Cora asked.

"To punish her for going against him," Regina said. "She convinced me not to cast the curse when I first received it. I should have continued to listen to her."

"She was the one to create the curse," Cora commented. "I thought she'd want her work utilized."

"She's good," Regina said.

"And we're not?" Cora asked.

"Not like her," Regina said. She didn't think her mother was good. But she knew better than to say anything of it. She wanted results that Cora could give her.

"Has she married?" Cora asked.

"She's engaged," Regina said. "He was a guard of Leopold's. He has a daughter from a previous marriage. His wife died."

"I would assume that was how he got out of a marriage," Cora chuckled.

"Yes but, Aleera and Alastair were together before he married his wife," Regina said. "His wife only just died."

"I don't understand," Cora was curious.

"They were engaged before she was imprisoned," Regina said. "He married Hazel sometime during that and before Aleera came back his wife left him. Then at some point soon before the curse struck they were reunited."

"So they were together although he was still married," Cora stated.

"When the curse was in effect Alastair and Hazel were divorced. Over the span of 28 years he and Aleera were having an affair they had to hide from everyone because she was a student and he was an adult. But he was also having relations with Hazel."

"Aleera wasn't supposed to lose her memories during the curse," Cora said, remembering what Rumple had told her when they made their agreement long ago. "She chose to live that life?"

"Oh trust me, it baffles me," Regina assured her. "But they are true loves. With the curse broken they are back to being their true selves. There is nothing keeping them apart now. I'm sure the wedding is around the corner."

"Well…" Cora hesitated. She wanted Regina to trust her. If she showed any sign at how perturbed she was by the whole story of her youngest daughter's relationship with a man, Regina would be weary. She needed to appear to be a changed woman. "I hope we are invited."

"I don't know," Regina said. "She gave up her powers in order to protect me from being caught by the Charming's. She should be gaining it back by now. So hopefully she's forgiving me."

The mother and daughter were silent for a bit. With that bit of information and the description Regina had given Cora of Aleera's character, Cora knew she needed to be careful. Aleera would probably not support Regina being in cahoots with her. She would try to stop their plans. From then on Cora made sure to limit her magic use so Aleera couldn't track her. She and Regina needed to make sure no one knew they were working together.

The next day Aleera got a call from her father that he was leaving for New York with Emma Swan to find Bae. He had found a way to cross the border without losing his memories. But, he did not have enough to bring Aleera along. So he had to break his promise. Aleera was not happy about that. But with Cora lurking about, she needed to protect her family. She searched for traces of Cora, but was coming up with nothing. She could tell the woman was going magic lite. Also she never had a true bond with Cora. Regina seemed to be laying low. Aleera was worried about that.

"I think Cora might have enlisted Regina," Aleera said to Alastair. He had just come home from the bean fields. He had joined the dwarves and Anton on the work.

"I thought Regina didn't want anything to do with Cora?" Alastair asked.

"I wouldn't put it past my mother to win Regina over," Aleera said. "They always had a twisted relationship."

"Can you sense her?" Alastair asked.

"No," Aleera said. "And I'm getting barely a blip from Regina."

"Well, the second you find something on them, we'll pounce," Alastair said. "But I've got something else I'd like to talk to you about." And with that he pulled a bouquet of roses from behind his back. Aleera beamed at him and took them.

"Thank you," she said. But she soon became distracted. "This day has been stressful. My mother is in town and I don't know what she's up to. My father has left to find my brother and I doubt he will be a quick updater or update me at all on what happens. At the same time my brother could be coming here, my mother is here. You know Al, I was only looking forward to one family reunion and I…" Aleera looked down to see that Alastair was kneeling.

"Aleera, will you marry me?" he asked.

"We are already engaged," she pointed out.

"That was a long time ago," Alastair said. "We need to renew it. And this time, properly marry."

"Now?" Aleera asked. "With all that is happening? Al, my mother is here. The devil incarnate! She killed Regina's true love because he stood in the way of her plans for Regina. Whose to say she won't do it to you or Miranda to get to me?"

"We were getting married anyway," Alastair said. "Your father made that unseen mandate that she couldn't touch you. It's not like there is a kingdom anymore for her to latch you to. If we were already married why would she bother? Isn't that what she wanted for Regina, to be married young?"

"Gee thanks," Aleera laughed. Alastair finally got off his knee and sat her down on the couch.

"This is a completely different world," he said. "Cora's ways don't belong here. She won't hurt me or Miranda."

"As long as we don't get in her way," Aleera said.

"Then we won't," Alastair said. "If all she wants is her mother-daughter bond with Regina, we let her be. If she wants more we step in. And we won't be alone. No one in this town wants her here."

"You want to get married now?" Aleera asked again.

"Right now," Alastair replied.

"Well…" Aleera thought about it. "Just a private ceremony with a judge. I don't want a fuss right now. When Bae and my father are back and my mother proves not to be a threat we can have a real ceremony."

"Whatever you say," Alastair told her. "I just can't wait another second to be married to you."

"Or to get laid," Aleera joked. Alastair scrunched his face at her and tickled her stomach mercilessly until she couldn't take it anymore. And then he kissed her.

It took a day to get everything arranged but Alastair and Aleera got married. They had Ruby and Miranda as witnesses. Although they had Alastair's house along with Aleera's, they chose to spend their wedding night in Gold's cabin. After Hazel and Damian had inhabited Alastair's house the place was wrought with gross vibes.

But that night Cora got a yen to finally meet Aleera. She and Regina were close to getting the dagger. But Cora wanted to see Aleera's life for herself. They went to Aleera's house to find it guarded by the wolf girl and a crossbow-wielding granny.

"Get out of here!" Granny yelled from the top of the banister with her crossbow aimed. "Especially you!" Granny aimed it specifically at Cora.

"We are just here to see Aleera," Regina told her. "We mean no harm." Just then Miranda came out from her room to see what was going on.

"Miranda honey, go back to your room," Ruby told her, trying to guide her back.

"Who are you," Miranda asked Cora.

"Hello, dear," Cora said. "I believe you are my step-granddaughter."

"You're Cora," Miranda said.

"Miranda, go, now!" Ruby said. She then turned to the women. "Aleera's not here."

"Where is she?" Cora asked.

"Enjoying her wedding night, not that it's your business," Granny said.

"Oh, we missed it," Cora sighed. Regina took her mother's arm and led her out. "Do you know where they are?" Cora asked her.

"I can find them," Regina said. When they left Ruby got out her phone to text Aleera that Evil 1 and 2 were heading to their location. But Aleera was far too distracted with her husband to look at her phone. They were not prepared for guests.

"Whoever's knocking is going to get a knuckle sandwich," Alastair said when he was forced to pull out.

He put on his boxers and a robe and went to see. Aleera put her nightgown back on and was looking for her robe that she remembered she'd left it in the living room when she'd dropped it to her feet. She was going out to get it when she heard a crash and a yelp from Alastair. She ran out to see that he had flown into the wall. She looked to the door and saw Regina and another woman. It was Cora.

"What are you doing!" she exclaimed to Cora. She went to help Alastair up.

"I didn't do that," Cora said, and she looked to Regina. Aleera looked to Regina too and saw her glaring.

"What is wrong with you?" Aleera asked.

"Sorry I missed the nuptials!" Regina sneered.

"Oh…" Aleera stammered. "It wasn't personal, we only had room for two witnesses. And I didn't know what you were up to."

"That's my fault," Cora said. "She was distracted with me." Cora stepped forward to get a better look at Aleera. "Hello, dear, it's been a long time."

"What do you want?" Aleera asked sternly.

"To see you," Cora said. "And I especially wanted to graduate you on your marriage. I wish your sister had been so willing." Regina harrumphed at that.

"Well now you've seen her," Alastair said.

"You must be Alastair," Cora said.

"Yeah," he said. "What other guy would be here for you to throw into a wall?"

"Regina did that," Cora reminded him. "I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you," Regina said to Aleera.

"I'm sorry!" Aleera assured her. "We didn't have a proper ceremony, if we had I would have invited you."

"Why the rush?" Regina asked.

"Because we were ready," Aleera said.

"Don't criticize her decision, Regina," Cora said. "She's plenty old enough. And he has a daughter who needed a mother."

"Cut it out, Cora," Alastair said. "We don't buy your sympathy for a second."

"Actually," Aleera said. "I think she means it. A child of hers getting married before she's an old maid is definitely what Cora would want."

"Old maid!" Regina exclaimed.

"Oh crap," Aleera sighed. Regina reached her hand back to prepare to send Aleera flying, but Aleera moved faster. She threw Regina out the open cabin door and stalked after her.

"Now girls, don't fight," Cora lazily scolded and followed them. Alastair grabbed a fire poker and followed too.

"Calm down!" Aleera bellowed as she fought Regina's magic.

"I can't believe you called me an old maid!" Regina bellowed back.

"I didn't mean to!" Aleera replied.

"And didn't invite me!" Regina added.

"Oh poor Maleficent clone not invited to a party!" Aleera mocked. Regina dropped the magic act and charged at Aleera. They began to catfight.

"Enough of this!" Cora said. And then she separated the sisters by levitating them into the air. Regina remembered this punishment all too well and did not like experiencing it again after all these years. Aleera didn't care much for it either. "Both of you desist! You are better than this!" she scolded.

"Let her go!" Alastair bellowed and then he ran at Cora with the poker and swung at her head. Cora dematerialized before the poker could make contact. The girls did not fall but gently landed. Cora rematerialized in between the girls.

"Naughty son-in-law," Cora tisked. "Come on Regina. We are ruining their honeymoon. Aleera, I will see you soon."

"Like hell," Aleera growled, changing her eyes to Rumple's cursed eyes as she used to as a child. Cora's smile faltered.

"Watch your mouth, young lady," she said. And then she took Regina's arm and dematerialized. Alastair ran over to her from where he was.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she told him. "But not for long. It's time to stop beating around the bush. I saw into my mother's eyes. She has a rotten plan a foot."

They went back into the cabin and tried to salvage the night they had previously been enjoying. But later that night Aleera called the Sherriff station to leave a message for David to say that she was sure Regina and Cora had something bad up their sleeves. David heard the message the next day after Snow had already told him. He called Aleera later to say that the plan Cora had was to get Gold's dagger, which she had. Also, Hook had injured Gold and the group was on their way back…with Baelfire.


End file.
